The MoU was signed by Dr.
Anil Sharma, Secretary and Operations Director of NCAER, and Dr. S K Ahirwar, Joint Secretary of
DPIIT. The event was graced by Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of DPIIT.
The key deliverables of the MoU include:- Developing a detailed framework for assessing logistics costs in the
country; Conducting a comprehensive study to assess logistics costs for the
year 2023-24; Evaluating differentials in logistics costs across various
routes, modes, products, types of cargo, and service operations and Identifying
major determinants influencing logistics costs in different sectors.
Shri Rajesh Kumar
Singh emphasized the importance of data-based evaluation of logistics costs.
The seminar featured a panel
discussion with senior government officers from DPIIT and GSTN, representatives
from multilateral institutions, industry professionals, and academicians. NCAER is expected to conduct a detailed
study and submit the report within a year. This study is anticipated to have
significant impacts on India’s logistics sector
This MoU envisages NCAER to conduct the detailed study as above and
submit the report within a years’ time. This study is likely to result in
far reaching impacts for the logistics sector in India.
The logistics cost
of the country needs to be regularly assessed and monitored such that the data
of cost variation will both benefit the industry and the policy makers. This process involves using data of trade flows, product types,
industry trends and origin data pairs. In addition to conducting the detailed
secondary surveys, this requires an institutionalised framework for the process
of data collection in a systematic and periodic manner.
Regular assessment
and monitoring of logistics costs are crucial for benefiting both the industry
and policymakers. This process involves analyzing data on trade flows,
product types, industry trends, and origin-destination pairs. In addition to
conducting detailed secondary surveys, an institutionalized framework for
systematic and periodic data collection is necessary.