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The Finance Minister has stressed on the need to have an effective multi-modal logistics and transport sector, which will make the economy more competitive. “A specific programme for development of multi-modal logistics parks, together with multi-modal transport facilities, will be drawn up and implemented,” Arun Jaitley said.
“For the transportation sector as a whole, including rail, roads, shipping, the Finance Ministry has proposed ₹2,41,387 crore in 2017-18. This magnitude of investment will spur a huge amount of economic activity across the country and create more job opportunities,” he added.
Railways, on its part, will implement end-to-end integrated transport solutions for select commodities through partnership with logistics players, who would provide both front and back-end connectivity. Rolling stocks and practices will be customised to transport perishable goods, especially agricultural products, Jaitley added.
He further said a new Metro Rail Policy will be announced with focus on innovative models of implementation and financing, as well as standardisation and indigenisation of hardware and software. This will open up new job opportunities for our youth, he said. A new Metro Rail Act will be enacted by rationalising the existing laws. This will facilitate greater private participation and investment in construction and operation of the metros.
Referring to the merging of the Railway Budget with the main Budget, the Finance Minister said the move would facilitate multi-modal transport planning between railways, highways and inland waterways. “The functional autonomy of Railways will, however, continue. This will give us a holistic view of allocations for sectors and ministries. This would facilitate optimal allocation of resources,” he said.
Pirojshaw Sarkari, CEO, Mahindra Logistics, said the construction of PMGSY roads will be accelerated to 133 km per day in 2016-17, against an average of 73 km during 2011-2014. This will ensure expansion of logistics activities to the under-penetrated rural areas nationwide. The restructured scheme focused on export infrastructure namely Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme will provide further growth opportunities to the logistics sector, he added.
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