A meeting on Measures Taken and Action Plan for improving India’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ranking was held under the chairpersonship of Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT, MoCI on friday with the nodal officers of the LPI dedicated cell formed in eleven Stakeholder Ministries/Departments.

The dedicated cell, convening every fortnight, focuses on assessing measures taken across six crucial parameters of LPI: Customs, Infrastructure, Ease of arranging shipments, Quality of logistics services, Tracking and Tracing, and Timeliness. Sumita Dawra emphasized the significance of a targeted action plan to enhance India’s logistics efficiency and subsequently improve its ranking in the World Bank LPI.

During the meeting, Ministries/Departments presented their action plans, showcasing best practices. Vivek Verma, Secretary of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), highlighted the successful implementation of the Land Port Management System (LPMS), leading to a substantial reduction in cross-border dwell times from 57 days to less than 24 hours. This achievement has significantly improved customs and border management efficiency, ensuring timely delivery of shipments.

Manoj Gangeya, ED (Planning) at the Ministry of Railways, outlined key initiatives for LPI enhancement, including 100 percent electrification of tracks, increased CAPEX for improved freight transport, and dedicated freight corridors. These efforts aim to boost average freight train speed, reduce transit time, and cut inventory costs.

Ajay Kumar, CEO of AAICLAS, focused on airport capacity building, with plans for an upgraded facility in Kolkata by December 2025 and the construction of an air cargo village in Delhi (Jewar airport) by December 2024.

Rituraj Mishra, Deputy Secretary (Ports), presented initiatives such as automation of weighbridges, improved scanning facilities at ports, and increased rail transport for DPD/DPE. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are being created to streamline and simplify processes across all ports.

Ananth, Director at CBIC, announced the launch of Custom Revenue Control Laboratories (CRCL) in Guwahati by December 23, facilitating chemical analysis of trade commodity samples.

In her closing remarks, Sumita Dawra expressed confidence that these targeted interventions would enhance logistics efficiency in India. She encouraged Ministries/Departments to share their initiatives and best practices to address gaps and issues, fostering a systematic approach to communicate these efforts to stakeholders. The collaboration of eleven stakeholder Ministries/Departments reflects a concerted effort towards integrated development initiatives in the logistics sector.

The meeting concluded with a strong commitment to implementing the outlined action plans, with the aim of not only improving India’s LPI ranking but also showcasing the country’s logistics sector as a model for objective-based assessment to the World Bank.

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