The Business Bytes
BHUBANESWAR, JULY 26, 2024 (TBB BUREAU): The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) successfully hosted the Logistics Colloquium 2024 in Bhubaneswar on Friday, focusing on “Transforming Logistics in Eastern India: Bridging Gaps and Building Futures.” This two-day event brought together industry leaders, government officials, and stakeholders to discuss the crucial role logistics play in regional development and to address the challenges and opportunities present in eastern India.
Sachin Bhanushali, an advisor at The World Bank, emphasized the need to modernize road transport with enhanced regulations and multi-modal logistics to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Vijay Kumar, Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, highlighted the potential of national waterways for sustainable transportation and the ongoing efforts to integrate them into the national logistics network.
Subrat Tripathy, President of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited, discussed the advancements at ports like Paradip and stressed the importance of continued government support to boost coastal trade, which has now reached $324 billion.
Ravi Prakash Chaturvedi from the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) noted significant improvements in India’s logistics performance index, attributing these advancements to government initiatives such as Sagarmala and Bharatmala Pariyojana.
Pradipta Mohanty, Chairman of the CII Odisha State Council, underscored the importance of efficient logistics for reducing costs and improving accessibility, and invited local industries to the CII EXIM Conference in Kolkata on August 20, 2024.
Ashish Gupta, Chairman of the CII ER Logistics Subcommittee, highlighted the need for skill development in the logistics sector and recommended the introduction of training programs in educational institutions.
Debashis Dutta of the CII West Bengal State Council praised Eastern India’s economic potential and called for collaborative efforts to enhance the logistics sector.
The colloquium concluded with remarks from Devendra Thakar, who reinforced the necessity for ongoing collaboration to transform the logistics landscape in Eastern India.
