<P> The stamps issued in 1937 depicted various forms of mail transports, with King George VI's effigy appearing on the higher values . A new issue in 1941, constrained by the austerity of World War II, consisted of rather plain designs using minimal amounts of ink and paper . As Indian Post Offices annually required some billions of stamps for postage, as a measure of economy the large pictorial stamps were immediately withdrawn and smaller stamps were issued . Even this did not ease the paper situation and it was thought desirable to reduce the size even more . </P> <P> A victory issue in 1946 was followed in November 1947 by a first Dominion issue, whose three stamps were the first to depict the Ashoka Pillar and the new flag of India (the third showed an aeroplane). </P> <P> Postage stamps were generally issued separately from the revenue stamps . However, in 1906, the set of King Edward VII stamps were issued in two values, half anna and one anna with the caption "INDIA POSTAGE & REVENUE". The George V Series (1911 to 1933) added two more values, two annas and four annas to the Postage & Revenue stamps . These dual - purpose issues were an exception and generally the two types were issued separately . </P> <P> From 1 January 1926 all printing and overprinting of India' postage stamps was conducted at India Security Press, Nasik . The possibility of printing postage stamps and other security items in India had been enquired into before the First World War but could not be pursued at that time . In 1922, the feasibility of this issue was explored in England by Lt Col C.H. Willis, C.I.E., then master of the Bombay Mint, and Mr F.D. Ascoti, I.C.S., Controller of Printing, Stationery and Stamps . Their favourable report, followed by a successful demonstration of production techniques in Delhi in 1923, led to the decision of the Government to establish a security press at Nashik . The responsibility of setting up the Press was entrusted to none other than the London firm of Thomas De La Rue which already had a six - decade long association with Indian stamps . The construction began in 1924 at an original estimate of Rs 271⁄2 lakhs and was completed in 1925 with additional costs of Rs 67 and 1 / 400,000 . </P>

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