The Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry is seeking India Inc’s suggestions for the further improvement of the draft logistics and agri export policy, which is already in the public domain, before it is finalised. This was stated by Anant Swarup, joint secretary (logistics), Department of Commerce, at the national conference on the Future of Cold chain Infrastructure in India, held in New Delhi under the aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday.

He added that the government was committed to applying an integrated approach for the aforesaid policies, so that every nook and corner of the country would be value chained with logistics and even agri exports, and farmers, in turn, would get a fair deal for their produce and productivity.

Swarup called upon the domestic industry present on the occasion asking that since both the logistics and agri export policy draft notes were in public circulation and consultation, there was still a scope for inviting suggestions from all stakeholders so that the policies, as and when put in final shape, would have inputs and ingredients that could make this absolutely conclusive to serve the intended purpose.

According to him, logistics are critical for the economic growth of the country and one of the objectives of such policy is to curtail drastically the logistics costs which currently hover around 14 percent of the national GDP (gross domestic product) against the average logistics costs of world economies of scales of around 8-9 percent.

“With reduced logistics costs, the margins of the farmers and producers would enhance and restrict the pilferage, thus the government is quite concerned for increased logistics, and its commitment is to completely rationalise and make logistics competitive,” pointed out the joint secretary.

Addressing on the occasion, Pawanexh Kohli, chief executive officer, National Centre for Cold-chain Development (NCCD), also informed that the Centre had been supporting the development of proactive policies and programmes, including multiple subsidies, to seek the effective participation of industry and all relevant stakeholders in setting up of logistics infrastructure through cold chains, so that the produce of the farmers stayed live and was also not allowed to decompose and degrade.

Integrated approach towards logistics and promotion of agri exports are the priorities for the government, and all efforts are being drawn towards this direction, so that the multiple objectives of social welfare of the government of the day are achieved and accomplished.

The others present on the occasion included Ranjeet Mehta, principal director, PHD Chamber; Sanjay Aggarwal, vice-president, PHD Chamber, and Ashish Mohan Wig, chairman, roads, ports and other infrastructure committee, PHD Chamber.