The Government has constituted an inter-ministerial logistic board to lay down policy guidelines for setting up cargo handling facilities at airports. It will also frame the performance standards for air cargo logistic supply chain to ensure quality of service.

The new board has been constituted a day after the Prime Minister held a meeting to expedite the development of infrastructure projects across the country and give a boost to the sagging economy.

The board has been given the mandate to resolve inter-ministerial issues that affect air cargo operations in the country.

The board will review, on a continuous basis, the general and sectoral policy regime governing air cargo logistic operations and remove the bottlenecks to efficiency.

The new Board will also lay down policy guidelines for setting up of air cargo facilities at airports, air freight stations/cargo villages including guidelines for public private partnership model of development of these facilities.

It will also lay down performance standards relating to quality of service in the air cargo logistics supply chain to be monitored by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) for implementation.

The 17-member board has representatives from the Ministries of Environment and Forests, Health and Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Railways, Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Planning Commission, and Department of Commerce, Department of Revenue, Central Board of Excise and Customs, Container Corporation of India Ltd among others.

The Board may also co-opt representatives of financial institutions and professional experts, representatives of industry as and when required, an official statement adds.

> ashphadnis@thehindu.co.in

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