Page 10 - ITLN Jan-Feb 2023 for Magzter

Cover Story
National Logistics
Policy

organisations like Instavans & Trucks,
Bosch India, Portlinks, Shiprocket, etc.
are in the process.
The NLP is expected to bring in
global standards in India’s logistics
sector with its focus on expediting
last-mile delivery via digitisation and
technology integration that will save
companies both time and money.
Gautam Kumar believes that
ULIP will bring more visibility and
transparency to the logistics sector and
help companies become more cost-
efficient in the last mile.
He added, “The ULIP will bring
down the high supply chain costs in
the country and help India achieve the
global benchmark and it is expected to
save nearly ₹4L crores ($48.28 billion)
annually. It not only promises to bring
all the stakeholders on one platform
but will also harness the power of data
analytics and reduce red tape to facilitate
the seamless movement of cargo within
the country. The platform will enable
smart, proactive decision-making and
promote the ‘ease of doing business’ for
companies. It will help stakeholders in
the logistics industry monitor real-time
cargo movement, manage inventory,
get rid of laborious documentation, and
enable better workforce management.” the development of low-cost prototypes
Stressing that a move towards will further amplify the adoption of
technologies like blockchain, and AI such technologies. Similarly, offering
would be beneficial for the Indian tax benefits with a sunset clause will
logistics industry, Homi Katgara points encourage developers to actively invest
out, “With increased global trade in such technologies which will in turn
demands and customer expectations, benefit the ecosystem.”
digital solutions have become essential Meanwhile, Gubba Kiran told ITLN
to industry growth. Because of the that streamlining a structure to trace
involvement of multiple stakeholders in the benefits of the Unified Logistics
several countries throughout the supply Interface Platform (ULIP), the Ease
chain, the digital transformation of of Logistics Services platform &
organisations and operations is critical.” e-handbook on warehousing, training
Katgara added, “The government is courses on PM GatiShakti and logistics
already working towards various aspects Developing a on i-Got platform that was launched
of digitalization and combining ULIP data robust multimodal with these policies can be done to
with AI and ML capabilities that can help ecosystem will maximise the impact of digitalisation in
forecast trends and produce fact-based improve the current the logistics sector.
responses that can be carried out by both freight movement,
government and businesses.” and enable faster More room for investments
Speaking about how the government The logistics industry currently faces
can go about incentivising digital deliveries of goods several challenges including high
transformation in the industry, amongst customers, transportation costs, the slow movement
Abhijit Verma, Managing Director, AA manufacturers, and of goods across state borders, lack
Holdings & Avinya Industrial & Logistic sellers. of digitalisation, and lack of skilled
Park told the publication, “We feel manpower among other things.
integrating various technology-focused Homi Katgara Many players like Abhijit Verma
schemes run by the government for Jeena & Company believe that investments will trickle by in
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January - February 2023 www.itln.in