Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir topped the logistics index chart among Northeastern states, Union Territories in the country, an indicator of the efficiency of logistical services necessary for promoting exports and economic growth, according to a Commerce Ministry report released on Monday.
Among the northeastern states and Himalayan union territories, Jammu Kashmir topped the chart.
Gujarat occupied the first spot among 21 states, followed by Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra in that order.
The report ranks the states on the basis of their logistics ecosystem, highlights the key logistics-related challenges faced by the stakeholders and includes suggestive recommendations, according to the third LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) 2021 report unveiled by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
The index aims at enhancing the focus on improving logistics performance across states which is essential for improving the country’s trade and reducing transaction costs.
The first logistics report was released in 2018. No ranking was released last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Gujarat was at the first position in both the 2018 and 2019 ranking lists.
In the top 10 list, Maharashtra, which was ranked fifth, was followed by Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in that order.
West Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Assam were ranked at 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st respectively.
The overall index is based on 21 indicators. The survey was conducted during May-August 2021. The whole exercise garnered 3,771 responses from 1,405 respondents across the country.
Speaking at the launch of the report, the Commerce and Industry Minister said that the inputs given by the report can lead the way to bring down logistics costs by 5 per cent over the next five years.
As per estimates, at present, the cost is about 13-14 percent of the GDP.