Tech Race For A Seamless Last Mile Delivery

While digital transformation is primarily driven by rapidly changing technologies, its successful adoption depends on having a sound strategy. Enterprises who want to stay competitive need to work on scaling up their solutions along with introducing new innovations from time to time.

- Shalini Nair

Logistics sector is the fourth largest employer among all the industries in India. Surprisingly, many logistics players are in the unorganised sector, which doesn’t have enough access to technologies due to smaller scale of operation. To counter this scenario, the government of India (GoI) and IITD-AIA Foundation for Smart Manufacturing have introduced notable steps to break this divide for micro, small & medium enterprise (MSME) sector.

In recognition of the significant role played by logistics, GoI is preparing the national integrated logistics plan in consultation with various stakeholders, which would be operational by March 2019. Malini V Shankar, director general of shipping, GoI, comments, “The government is also planning to put a common platform for ease of transportation of goods for logistics e-market place. We have initiated work on National Logistics Portal with all the government agencies such as customs, shipping, railways and port communities.”

Once the portal is created, stakeholders like traders, manufacturers, logistics service providers (LSPs), infrastructure providers, financial services, government departments and associations will come under one roof. The portal will have four main components which includes logistics e-market place, logistics certification platform, an integrated regulatory platform, and banking and financial services platform.