Dak Seva vs Dak Mitra: Know the Difference Between India Post’s Two New Apps

India Post is making an upgrade to its digital services by launching upgraded versions of its Dak Seva and Dak Mitra apps. While the two platforms will be part of the Department of Posts’ initiative to digitally modernize, the target users of the two applications differ entirely.

The Dak Seva app is mainly for citizens while Dak Mitra will be for the Branch Postmasters and other postal service workers. Both the two apps are aimed at enhancing and digitizing postal services to make them faster, accessible and paperless.

However, what is the difference between the two apps? Here are some facts about the purpose, key features and significance of the two platforms.

What is the Dak Seva App?

Dak Seva is a customer-focused digital application that is used to integrate various India Post services in one place. The app is meant to be used by citizens and other individuals who seek postal services without visiting a post office for every need.

Through the app, users can trace postal products, locate post offices nearby, trace PIN codes, book postal services and lodge complaints. Users are also able to calculate some finances and access other services through the app.

Its major feature includes multilingual support in 23 Indian languages through BHASHINI.

What Is the Dak Mitra Application?

While Dak Seva is a citizen-centric app, Dak Mitra is an employee-centric application. The application has been designed for the purpose of facilitating the Branch Post Office and Branch Postmaster in performing their postal and financial transactions through the digital medium.

The new Dak Mitra platform is built to facilitate 1.4 lakhs Branch Post Offices with the help of digitizing several everyday transactions.

This platform can be used by the Branch Postmasters for performing various activities such as postal booking, cash deposits and withdrawals, insurance related services, Aadhaar based e-KYC services, and doorstep deliveries.

Difference Between Dak Seva and Dak Mitra

The primary difference between the two applications is in terms of the audience that these applications cater to.

While Dak Seva has been designed for citizen convenience in accessing postal services, Dak Mitra is a back end application for facilitating postal employees.

How Will Dak Mitra Help Rural India?

The Dak Mitra project could also prove to be useful in rural India since Branch Post Offices will continue to remain an important institution there that serves both as a post office and a bank.

Through digitization of the branch office process, the platform could help in increasing the efficiency of the Branch Postmaster while handling the transaction. The services like cash deposits/withdrawals, insurance-related activities, e-KYC based on Aadhaar and doorstep delivery can be managed using the digital platform.

Why Is It Important For Branch Post Offices?

It is important due to the fact that Branch Post Offices generally cater to those communities that lack banking and digital infrastructure.

How Will Dak Seva Benefit Customers?

Through the Dak Seva project, customers can get access to various postal services from one single digital platform as opposed to different platforms required for different requirements.

For example, a customer can check the status of the consignment or location of the nearby post office, locate the PIN code or complain about the issue digitally.

Who Are the Developers of Dak Mitra?

The improved version of Dak Mitra is the outcome of indigenous development under the advanced postal technology (APT) platform of the Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT).

The project is among those included under the modernization plan DoP IT 2.0, which aims at modernizing the Indian postal system through digitization and technology.

What Is the Function of BHASHINI in Dak Seva?

One of the ways by which BHASHINI contributes to the process of Dak Seva is that the app supports 23 Indian languages. This way people will be able to use the online services of India Post in languages other than English.

This multi-lingual aspect of the app could contribute in addressing the challenge of digital language divide in India.

Why Have India Post Introduced These Applications?

In the recent years there has been growing emphasis on digital public services in India. One of the organizations in India which enjoys huge network in the country, especially in rural areas, is India Post.

Digitizing the customer service and the Branch Post Offices may be useful for cutting down paper work.