The Chhattisgarh Cabinet recently approved its ‘State Logistics Policy-2025’, a comprehensive framework designed to transform the landlocked state into a formidable logistics and export hub. This ambitious policy, aligning with India’s National Logistics Policy, seeks to significantly reduce logistics costs, enhance industrial competitiveness, and boost export capabilities, leveraging the state’s strategic central geographic location to foster equitable and sustainable economic development.
Chhattisgarh’s unique position at the heart of India offers an inherent strategic advantage for both interstate and international trade routes. The ‘State Logistics Policy-2025’ is meticulously designed to capitalise on this geographical strength, encouraging substantial investments in multimodal transport infrastructure, state-of-the-art warehousing facilities, and advanced digital logistics systems. This proactive stance is expected to attract leading national and international logistics players, alongside major e-commerce companies, through a combination of targeted incentives and streamlined land facilitation processes. The core objective is to create a robust and efficient supply chain ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders, from large industries to individual farmers.
A cornerstone of this transformative policy is the aggressive development of dry ports and inland container depots (ICDs). This crucial infrastructure is envisioned to provide seamless connectivity between production zones and distribution channels, particularly empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and regional producers. By establishing these inland hubs, the policy aims to significantly reduce transit times and improve the overall efficiency of supply chains, enabling local businesses to access broader domestic and international markets with greater ease and cost-effectiveness. This democratisation of market access is pivotal for fostering equitable economic growth across the state.
The policy’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its emphasis on encouraging fuel-efficient transport solutions, promoting eco-friendly packaging practices, and integrating digital tracking systems. These measures are designed to collectively reduce the state’s environmental footprint, aligning with the global imperative for zero-net-carbon and sustainable urban development. By advocating for green logistics, Chhattisgarh aims to minimise emissions from its growing transport sector, contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment for its citizens, a crucial step towards creating truly eco-friendly cities.
Beyond industrial growth, the policy places a strong emphasis on expanding cold storage and general warehousing capacity across the state. This strategic expansion is designed to minimise post-harvest losses, a significant challenge for agricultural producers, and to lower storage costs for various commodities. This will particularly benefit farmers and forest-based producers in resource-rich regions such as Bastar and Surguja, by facilitating better preservation and marketing of their produce, including valuable medicinal plants, non-timber forest produce, and distinctive tribal handicrafts, thereby unlocking new export potential and improving rural livelihoods.
Employment generation stands as a core outcome of the new logistics policy. By formalising and streamlining the logistics ecosystem, the state anticipates the creation of thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities. These roles will span various sectors, including transport operations, warehousing management, advanced packaging solutions, and IT-enabled logistics services. Such a large-scale creation of diverse employment opportunities will contribute significantly to skill development and economic empowerment, fostering a more gender-neutral and equitable workforce by opening avenues for all segments of the population.
The ‘State Logistics Policy-2025’ is a proactive step towards leveraging Chhattisgarh’s geographical advantage to establish it as a competitive logistics hub. By focusing on multimodal infrastructure, digital integration, sustainable practices, and inclusive growth, the state aims to enhance its industrial competitiveness and export capabilities, ultimately driving comprehensive economic development. This strategic framework demonstrates Chhattisgarh’s commitment to building a resilient and sustainable future, where efficient supply chains underpin prosperity for all its citizens.
Also Read :Bhiwandi Set to Emerge as Asias Logistics Powerhouse
