Draft policy proposes 15% of industrial area for logistics
TEAM HERALD
[email protected]
PANJIM: The Government proposes to set up three zones ~one each in North, South and East Goa and reserve 15 per cent of land in the industrial estates for developing logistics as an industry, by promoting projects that would facilitate development of infrastructure for logistic development.
The proposal has been mooted in the draft ‘Goa State Investment Policy’ 2013, which also speaks about setting up of multi institutional facilities such as warehousing zones on public private partnership (PPP) basis.
“Warehousing is an integral part of the logistics industry and is mostly a disorganized business in India,” the policy states. “Logistics is an integral part of almost all the industries, such as agriculture, FMCG, food processing, general retailing and manufacturing industries and hence there is a need to develop the industry,” the policy adds.
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Friday made a representation to State Industry Minister Mahadev Naik with a demand to recognize logistics as an industry by giving it due importance.
“GCCI feels that Goa has got potential to emerge as a good logistic hub in West India and can cater not only to Goa but also to parts of South Maharashtra and North Karnataka,” GCCI president Manguirish Pai Raikar said in the representation.
Raikar pointed out that though Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Ministry (MSME) recognises logistics as an industrial activity, the State had to grant recognition and give it due importance. As such, Minister has directed GCCI to prepare a road map for development of logistics in Goa.
As per the draft policy, which highlights logistics infrastructure of India, around USD 45 billion is lost each year due to inefficiency in India’s logistics network and further 2.5 times increase in freight traffic in the next decade, will put more pressure on India’s logistics infrastructure. Hence, Goa needs to contribute by developing infrastructure for logistic development.
To achieve this, the government plans to develop road infrastructure along with the last mile links to port, airport, industrial estates and mining belt. It also plans setting up of truck terminals, multimodal rail-road terminal, coastal shipping-road terminal, development of coastal jetty for shipping and air cargo facilities. The government has also made a provision for a free trade warehousing zone, which will probably located near the airport.
