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The Gati Shakti National Master Plan completed one year of being in force yesterday, and to mark the occasion, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) published the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) Report 2022. In his tweet, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry said that the infrastructural game-changer has been injecting growth in to the rural areas.
Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat are among the 15 States and UTs categorised as ‘Achievers‘ in the logistics index chart 2022. The other states and UTs in the category are Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The LEADS Report is an indicator of results of various initiatives for improving the logistics ecosystem throughout the country.
Speaking at the event, Goyal said that PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan is helping in proper planning and integration of infrastructure projects, adding that it has the potential to save about INR 10 lakh crore per year by improving logistics efficiency.
“Through the mechanism of PM National Master Plan, 197 critical infrastructure gap projects have been identified and examined in sectors namely, the Ministry of Steel, Coal, Fertiliser as well as Food and Public Distribution under PMG to improve logistics efficiency. Over 1300 inter-ministerial issues were resolved in the 11 months through the PMG portal integrated with the National Master Plan. It will also help in bringing down the cost to single digits in the coming years.”
Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Minister of Textiles, and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
This year’s LEADS Report has recognised Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Sikkim and Tripura as ‘Fast Movers‘, while on the other hand the ‘Aspirers‘ include Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh.
For the 2022 Report, the survey was not virtual but a physical one wherein, apart from the public sector stakeholders, the ones from the private sector were also contacted. The private stakeholders included Shipper/Export/Importer, Logistics Service Providers (Freight forwarders, CHAs, Custom brokers etc), Transport Service Providers (Truck operators etc) and Transport Infrastructure Service Providers (ICD/CFS operators, port operators, warehouse operators etc.). The aim is to understand the enablers and impediments of the logistics ecosystem in the country.
As per LEADS Report 2021, considering all the holistic factors, Gujarat retained the top position, followed by Haryana and Punjab at the 2nd and 3rd position, respectively.
The LEADS Report was first launched in 2018 with the purpose of ranking Indian states and UTs on the basis of the efficiency of their respective logistics ecosystems. It was designed to accentuate the challenges and shortcomings of the industry and suggest remedial practices.
Goyal expressed confidence that PM GatiShakti would help to bring in inclusive and equitable development by helping remote areas, especially those in the North East undertake integrated infrastructure planning and close development gaps.
