West Bengal’s logistics policy ready: Amit Mitra

“The policy on the logistics sector is ready and we will seek inputs from the industry. The logistics sector is very important since it creates huge employment opportunities,” Mitra said. (File image)

West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said on Saturday that the state is ready with a logistics policy and will soon seek feedback from the industry. Speaking at a webinar organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he said the policy will try to integrate the fragmented logistics sector of the state and also drive in efficiency.

“The policy on the logistics sector is ready and we will seek inputs from the industry. The logistics sector is very important since it creates huge employment opportunities,” Mitra said.

The policy will broadly deal with areas like creating last-mile connectivity, fostering technology adoption and building logistics skill sets, he added. West Bengal is uniquely poised in its positioning as it has the advantage of multimodal logistics capabilities such as water, roads and railways, Mitra said. The size of the state’s logistics market is USD 20 billion, which makes it an attractive proposition for businesses, he said.

The consumer base in Kolkata alone is 14 million, the minister said. He said the government is promoting logistics hubs in Siliguri, Malda, Tajpur and Durgapur. Some of the focus sectors are tea, chemicals and petrochemicals, food processing, renewable energy and jute products. The state is also part of international corridors like BBIN, BCIM and BIMSTEC, he said.