On 1st April 1950, “Local Delivery” System at reduced rate of postage was introduced by the Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department, vide Postal Notice No.1 dated 1st April 1950. Local Delivery System applied to letters and postcards only. For other classes of postal articles, the existing all India rates of postage would apply for local delivery articles also.

In absence of Special Postal Stationery for Local Delivery, a ½ anna postage stamp of KG - VI was affixed along with label inscribed word “LOCAL” on postcard and mailed from Salkia PO of Howrah to Calcutta on 17th April 1950.

But the usual special services such as issue of Certificate of Posting, late posting under Late Fee, Express Delivery, Registration, Value Payable System, Insurance etc., would be available for local delivery letters and postcards on the same terms and conditions as for general correspondence of the same class.

A registered cover was mailed locally from Bombay on 25th May 1950 with postage of 1 anna normal charge along with 4 annas as Registration fee.	A local delivery postcard was mailed from Ahmedabad 13th May 1954 with 6 pies as normal charges along with 2 annas for Express Delivery fee.

	Local Delivery Scheme was applied to Business Reply Service for the first time from 16th July 1950, vide Postal Notice No.28 dated 27th July 1950. The reduced rates of postage became available to Business Reply Service users.
	A privately printed Business Reply Postcard was mailed from Bombay on 16th July 1960 with the local delivery charges of 0.03 n.p.

Thus the concession on letter was for initial first tola only. After 1 tola, the rate of postage was same. For the purpose of concessional rate of postage letters and postcards should be posted for delivery within the limits of the respective local delivery areas.

The local delivery area is defined as follows:

The area included within the limits of a municipal limits within which delivery of postal articles were effected from any post office situated within the municipal limits. It also includes other urban areas like Cantonments, Town Area or Notified Area.
In rural areas, all areas included in the delivery area of the same post office.
Any other area specifically included by the Central Government for that purpose.

A few areas for local delivery were defined which are as follows:
The entire Jaipur District along with four continuous districts of Sikar, Tonk, Jhunjhunu and Sawai Madhopur were grouped together as a special case, into one local delivery area in view of the cheaper rates of postage enjoyed by these areas under ex-State postal system.

A ½ anna KG-VI postage stamp affixed along with green coloured local label on postcard, was mailed from Sawai Jaipur H.O., on 8th July 1950 and delivered as local delivery at Daosa - a town of Jaipur District.	A cover having printed stamp of ¾ anna stamp along with 3 ps KG-VI postage stamp was mailed from Jaipur city on 16th April 1950 and delivered at Sikar as local delivery.

The entire Greater Bombay area comes under Bombay local delivery area.
The entire Delhi State comes under Delhi local delivery area.
The local delivery area of Calcutta comprises of : Calcutta Corporation, South Suburban Municipal, Baranagore, Dum Dum, Tollygunge, Garden Reach, Howrah and areas served by a post office situated within these areas.

A 1 Anna Reply local delivery postcard was printed and mailed on 18th September 1954 by Corporation of Calcutta for giving the notice of election.

The Nagpur local delivery area includes Sonegaon Airport and Nagpur Headquaters areas.
Dohad and Freelandgang were combined into a single local delivery area on and from 15th May 1952 vide Postal Notice No.7 dated 18th June 1952.

A complete list showing all the localities included in their respective local delivery areas should be kept in all post offices.
Special Green letter boxes were installed at a number of post offices for posting of local letters, because they should be handled in sorting, separately from the general correspondence. But it didn’t mean that special treatment should be given to local correspondence. Actually these articles should be handled in all respect like other general letters except that they should be put up in separate labelled bundles marked “Local” wherever possible, local letters should be exchanged direct between the various post offices and not through the RMS office.

Some special instructions were also issued by the Department which are as follows:
Posting of locals in RMS offices situated at the place or within the local delivery area would be allowed but no locals would be accepted in train letter boxes. If any locals were posted, it will treated as insufficiently paid mails. This rule embodied in Sec.I Clause 14 (3) of P & T Guide 1951.
Unpaid and insufficiently paid local letters would be taxed with double deficiency from local rates. Local postcards should be fully paid, or otherwise would be forwarded to D.L.O.
Local mail would be redirected free of charge, within the limits of the local delivery area where they were posted. No redirection was permitted, outside the delivery area.

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