FPJ News Service mumbai

The Department of Posts is considering developing some of its prime real estate for commercial purposes as part of a plan to revamp and reposition the entire network, including the 1.6 lakh post offices, into a profit centre, said Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told ToI. Earlier in an interview to ET, Scindia said the department is looking to turn around India Post into a profit-making entity in the coming 5-6 years and is enabling various measures to achieve the target.

The Minister said India Post currently has expenditure of around Rs 35,000 to Rs 36,000 crore while the revenues are in the range of Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,000 crore, leading to a cost to the government of around Rs 22,000 crore. Outlining the government's plan, Scindia said the Centre has initiated a major plan to revitalise the vast real estate assets of the Department of Posts, aiming to transform the country’s extensive postal network into a profitable commercial entity. Under the proposed framework, India Post’s legacy infrastructure, including over 1.6 lakh post offices, will be integrated into a new commercial leasing model that monetises prime urban and semi-urban land parcels across India.

The move, led by the Ministry of Communications, is a strategic attempt to modernise and reposition the role of India Post in an increasingly digital economy. Officials overseeing the initiative have indicated that the project focuses on asset optimisation, where under-utilised or high-value properties will be developed into commercially viable spaces. The approach includes developing multi-use buildings with post offices on the ground level and commercial establishments such as offices and retail spaces above.