Bhubaneswar, Sep 22 : Logistic sectors in India will employ another 1.2 million people by 2025, its Chairman and Managing Director of Balmer Lawrie Adika Ratna Sekhar said.
Addressing a Logistic Summit organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Odisha Chapter here on Friday, Sekhar said the Logistic sector is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.5 percent by 2024.
This sector, he said, has given employment to 22 million people and is going to employ another 1.2 million people by 2025.
Principal Secretary of Odisha Commerce and Transport Department Usha Padhee bats for gender inclusivity in the logistics sector.
Whenever women are included the projects become more successful which is already visible in many e-commerce companies, she said.
Padhee said women strive in many job roles with excellent performance than their male counterparts.
Therefore, we should not see logistics as for men only. Time has come for focus on gender led logistics, she added.
The Principal Secretary shed light on high logistics costs for big as well as small and medium companies which is affecting the competitiveness of the market and overall growth.
If logistics would be one of the growth engines, it should be efficient. National Logistics Policy envisages placing India among the top 25 countries of the world.
Similarly, PM Gati Shakti focuses on convergence of different modes of transportation. Multi Modal Logistics is also another area of focus, Padhee said.
She further said as far as regulation is concerned, the Air and Port sector come to a certain maturity level. But for the Railway and Road sector, we need to improve the regulation.
Paradip Port Trust Deputy Chairman Nilabhra Dasgupta deliberated upon the beneficial effects of PM Gati Sakti and Sagarmala project on the port sector.
These two projects are breathing life into the port sector of our country and results are already visible, he said, adding Paradip Port is the largest, efficient and affordable port of India.
In the last fiscal year, the Port has clocked 136.36 MT cargo handling record. The port during the last six years consecutively achieved more than 100 MT cargos per year. Coastal cargo handling by Paradip Port is highest among all the coastal ports, Dasgupta said.
CII Odisha State Council Chairman Sashi Sekhar Mohanty underscored the need to focus on how digitisation and smart logistics can redefine efficiency, accuracy and transparency in the logistics sector of Odisha.
He said “We have identified logistic bottlenecks which need a regulatory framework to create a conducive environment for stakeholder and need to up-skill our workforce to fulfil demand of the logistic sector”.
Past Chairman of CII Odisha State Council Santosh Mohapatra said that logistics contribute to high cost of production.
Odisha, he said, needs container ports for the small and medium scale industry sector. Mohapatra said he was confident that in near future this facility will be available in the state.
