Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: As part of celebrations marking a decade of Make in India, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, last week launched a series of transformative initiatives by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and creating a future-ready, globally competitive logistics ecosystem in the country.
The minister highlighted that the Government had initiated Integrated State and City Logistics Plans under the SMILE programme in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), beginning with eight cities across eight states.
He noted that the exercise will help assess existing logistics infrastructure, identify gaps, and provide a roadmap for improving efficiency and reducing costs. He added that this marks just the beginning, with the objective of replicating such plans nationwide to ensure smoother movement of goods, enhanced competitiveness, and stronger supply chain resilience.
Anchored by DPIIT, these initiatives underscore the Government’s commitment to modernising logistics infrastructure and streamlining supply chains across India. A key feature is the launch of Integrated State and City Logistics Plans, which will strengthen local logistics ecosystems and complement progress at the national level.
DPIIT has already implemented significant reforms through the National Logistics Policy (NLP) and the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, providing a robust framework for improving efficiency and competitiveness in the logistics sector. These efforts are further supported by the ADB under the Strengthening Multimodal and Integrated Logistics Ecosystem (SMILE) programme.
States have also taken proactive measures to align with the objectives of the NLP by formulating their own logistics policies and action plans. In line with the PM GatiShakti initiative, the NLP, and directives issued during the Fourth Chief Secretaries’ Conference in December 2024, DPIIT has now adopted a programmatic approach to support States in preparing City Logistics Plans.
These initiatives mark an important step in India’s journey toward building a modern, integrated, and globally competitive logistics sector.