The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board’s (GIDB) governing board has okayed a proposal broadening the scope of projects that are covered under the logistics sector. It has sent a proposal to this effect to the state industries and mines department for making necessary changes to the GID Act, 1999.
According to top govt sources, the phrase ‘Logistics Infrastructure and Facilities’ will be added to the list of specific logistics projects which have been mentioned. “With this modification, all sorts of projects related to logistics will get quicker approvals and incentives from govt. Addition of the phrase ‘Logistics Infrastructure and Facilities’ will ensure that private participation in the sector will get a boost,” officials said.
A meeting was held recently in Gandhinagar, where GIDB board members authorized the chief executive officer to the following proposal to the industries and mines department for approval: “Logistics infrastructure and facilities’, including but not limited to integrated logistics park, multi modal logistics park, inland container depot, freight terminal, container freight station, air freight station, air cargo complex, cold chain facility, warehouse, truck terminal, silos, and the like infrastructure.”
Officials said that the addition of the phrase ‘Logistics infrastructure and facilities’ will enable logistics infrastructure to be included in the priority sector, where govt is entitled to take decisions to expedite projects through incentives. “It will also enable logistics projects to be implemented through the PPP (public private participation) model,” sources said.
Officials said that a number of companies, including those based in Gujarat have shown keen interest in investing in Gujarat’s logistics sector even as the DMIC (Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor) and the DFC (dedicated freight corridor) are passing through the state.
“Govt will now be in a position to provide concessions to industries that are interested in taking up projects related to the logistics sector,” officials said.
