The Ministry of Digital Development is embarking on a large-scale reboot of Russian Post. A bill has already been submitted to the government that is meant not just to refresh the sector, but to change the rules of the game — from utility bills to pharmacies in branch offices.
The key innovation is that utility bills will begin arriving automatically in personal accounts on Gosuslugi. Paper receipts will not disappear, however: they will remain as an alternative.
Russian Post will receive a special status — in effect becoming the only structure with access to mailboxes in apartment buildings. The idea is simple: remove intrusive advertising from building entrances and bring order to delivery.
Post offices are to be turned into mini-pharmacies: they will be allowed to sell over-the-counter medicines. The specific list of medications and the rules of sale will be determined by the government.
There will also be changes for e-commerce: marketplaces will be required to open pickup points directly in post offices or deliver orders there directly. In addition, Russian Post will be able to engage third-party companies and individual entrepreneurs for parcel delivery.
Additionally, the project includes:
- a ban on banks charging a commission when paying for services at post offices
- free SMS notifications about incoming shipments
- formal recognition of email status at the federal level
At the same time, the state continues to allocate budget funds for modernization: at the end of February, Mikhail Mishustin said that another 5 billion rubles from the budget would be allocated for upgrading branch offices — despite resource constraints.
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