Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education RK Ranjan Singh on Wednesday emphasised on creating a sound logistic infrastructure in the region. He said the prime minister has identified 55 central ministries to spent 10 per cent of their budget for improving logistics infrastructure in Northeast India.
"NE seeing dawn of new hopes and opportunities for becoming the manufacturing hub of the country with PM GatiShakti with world class seamless multimodal connectivity being implemented,” Ranjan said while addressing the first ever CII North East Logistics Conclave in Guwahati on Wednesday.
The conclave was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with DPIIT.
The Union minister mentioned that the PM GATISHAKTI would ensure world class seamless multimodal connectivity providing complete information on resources, manpower and infrastructure projects in the northeast. He further elaborated that this would bring down cost overruns for the infrastructure project being implemented which would track timely implementation.
The Gati Shakti would also provide access to difficult areas in the north east through technological intervention and policy initiative giving and a massive boost to the 200 billion logistics economy in the region, he said.
The union minister mentioned that the prime minister has identified 55 central ministries to spent 10% of their budget for improving Logistics Infrastructure in Northeast.
The External Affairs Ministry is working closely with Bangladesh to improve the rail, air, road and water connectivity. the speedy implementation of this project connecting NE and Bangladesh would be part breaking in the region and will contribute to india’s economy immensely, he said.
In his is address, Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Bima Bohra mentioned that PM’s Gati Shakti will accelerate the project of peace and development in the region. He mentioned that Assam is proposing to set up the second logistics part at Silchar after Jogigopa.
He said Assam is also the only state in the country with dedicated logistics department headed by a secretory. The government has already earmarked 15 per cent of the land for logistics development.
Assam with its locational advanatage is well poised to become the logistics hub for the country and a gateway to southeast asian countries, he added.
Santana Chakma, Tripura Minister for Industry and Commerce, Social Welfare & Social Education, stated that Tripura has been identified as the first mover state in terms of implementing logistics policy. She mentioned that the state is coming up with the Logistics Policy soon. An amount of Rs 35 crore has been sanctioned for infrastructure for industrial estates and infrastructure state logistics under state action plan.
In his brief address, Lt General P C Nair, AVSM, YSM, Director General, Assam Rifles mentioned that the Assam Rifles is hopeful that the VAHAN app will help to track the vehicle movement across the borders of the Northeast, which would help to address the security concerns of the region.
Earlier, R Dinesh, president designate, CII and executive vice-chairman, TVS Supply Chain Solutions Ltd reiterated that the announcement of the PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy is likely to bring down the cost of doing business in the Northeast.
Northeast with a pool of educated youth can avail technology for reaching to global market. The supply chain needs to be strengthened for the ease of doing business in the Northeast.
CII has been working closely with the Government of India for ensuring last mile connectivity in the region.
A number of skill initiative has been launched in the States for upgrading the skill set of the youths for the logistics supply chain.
Pradeep Bagla, co-chairman, CII Northeast Council and managing director, Amrit Cements Limited welcomed the dignitaries and mentioned that the logistics conclave will set the ball rolling for the Northeast and CII would follow up on the takeaways of the conclave and would try to ensure that the policies and the projects are implemented in the region.
The conclave had participation of over 200 delegates from the governments of all the Northeastern states, industry and public sector enterprises.
