It refers to media-reports depicting that some notorious ones from the under-world have managed to get issued postage-stamps with their photos printed under My-Stamp concept launched by India Posts where individuals can get their photos printed on postage-stamps to be used towards postal-tariff on payment of extra cost. There is no provision whereby My-Stamp concept may not be available for tax-defaulters and persons with criminal background. India Posts should immediately discontinue My-Stamp concept because practically there can be no provision whereby persons with such notorious background may not be able to get their photos printed on postage-stamps officially issued by India Posts.
Instead India Posts should come up with sponsored postage-stamps with advertisements printed on postage-stamps like are accepted to be printed on Post-Cards, Inland-Letter-Cards, Aerogrammes etc on payment of sponsorship fees by advertisers. Advertisements to be printed on such suggested sponsored postage-stamps can be scrutinised by a screening committee. Advertisers can be required to pay some stipulated charges per stamp on total print-quantity of sponsored stamps apart from making it compulsory for some minimum quantity of postage stamps sponsored by them. System will result in even more extra revenue-earning because advertisers will prefer postal-services affixing their sponsored postage stamps rather than private courier service. Advertisers may be free to select denominations of sponsored postage stamps in case they prefer series of their sponsored postage stamps.
MADHU AGRAWAL