In the (LEADS) 2023 report released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Saturday, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chandigarh, and Gujarat are among the 13 states and Union Territories labeled as “achievers” in the logistics index chart for 2023.
Compared to the previous year’s count of 15 states and UTs, the number has reduced to 13 as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have transitioned into the “aspirers” and “fast movers” categories, respectively. Sikkim and Tripura made notable progress, moving up from “fast movers” in 2022 to the “achievers” category.
The states and UTs joining the “achievers” category alongside the aforementioned are Delhi, Assam, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
The report categorizes Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry as “fast movers.” Meanwhile, those falling into the “aspirers” category include Goa, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The LEADS 2023 report ranks states based on their logistics ecosystem, highlighting key challenges faced by stakeholders and providing recommendations. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal unveiled the fifth edition of the report, emphasizing the importance of improving logistics performance across states for enhanced trade and reduced transaction costs.
Goyal expressed the crucial role the logistics sector will play in driving the country’s economy to approximately USD 35 trillion by 2047. Referring to a report by economic think tank NCAER, he mentioned that the country’s logistics cost currently ranges from 7.8% to 8.9%. Goyal asserted that bringing it down to the 5-6% level is achievable, citing government measures such as substantial investments in infrastructure development.
He encouraged the industry to focus on skilled manpower, increased state participation, adoption of new technologies like AI, blockchain, and data analytics, and initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint, emphasizing that these measures will further contribute to the growth of the country’s logistics sector.
