Introduction to the Draft Amendment to the Post Office Act, 2023

The Department of Posts has proposed a draft amendment aimed at introducing an innovative addressing system known as the Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address, or DHRUVA.

Objectives of DHRUVA

• To create an interoperable, standardised, and user-centric addressing framework.
• To replace traditional textual addresses with virtual labels similar to email or UPI addresses, such as "name@entity".
• To support the government's digital public infrastructure initiatives by allowing private participation.

Implementation and Functionality

DHRUVA aims to simplify address provision across various platforms, particularly for e-commerce and gig platforms, by using labels instead of traditional addresses.

• Users can authorise firms to access their geographic coordinates and address details instantly, reducing repetitive address entry.
• A Section 8 not-for-profit entity will oversee this system, similar to the National Payments Corporation of India.
• Private firms are not mandated to participate but are encouraged to join voluntarily.

Role of DIGIPIN

The DIGIPIN system forms the foundational layer of the DHRUVA initiative.

• It uses a ten-character alphanumeric code to express precise latitude-longitude coordinates.
• Intended to provide accurate location data in rural areas or where textual addresses are insufficient.
• Each DIGIPIN corresponds to a 14 square meter patch of land, enabling around 228 billion unique codes for India.

Consent and Authorization

• Users can grant temporary access to their address details to firms, which requires re-authorisation after a specified period.
• Address service providers will offer labels, while Address Information Agents (AIAs) will manage the consent architecture.