<center style='bttom-border:1px solid black;'>
    <p>
    <b>ASSOCHAM<br>
    Summary Record of<br>
    First Virtual Meeting of National Council on Logistics<br>
    Held at 4:00 PM on 16th July 2021</b>
    </p>
    </center>

    <p style='text-align:justify;'>
    The First Meeting of the National Council on Logistics of ASSOCHAM was held through video
    conferencing at 4:00 PM on 16th July 2021.
    </p>
    <p style='text-align:justify;'>
    The meeting was Chaired by   Paul V. Johnson, Chairman of National Council on Logistics,
    with   Jasjit Sethi and   Davinder Sandhu, Co-Chairs of the Council. 
    </p>
    <p style='text-align:justify;'><b>Following major issues and suggestions emerged during the discussions:</b></p>
    <p style='text-align:justify;'>&#9679; The key objective of this council is to spread awareness about this industry and to ensure that logistics becomes a boardroom subject.</p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>&#9679; Logistics is not just a supplementary function of the economy, it can be a driver of the
economy. Hence, it requires due attention and recognition by the Government.
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; There is a need to create more awareness about logistics and about the importance
of logistics as an industry that drives benefits to users. If logistics infrastructure cannot
enable efficient, reliable, strategic, price-sensitive, cost of value for money supply
chains, then it is not serving the purpose.
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; Currently, as various initiatives are being taken by the Government, it is the right time
to raise industry issues before the relevant Government departments and look for
suitable changes through Government engagements.
</p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; As the logistics sector is very vast, there is a need to create synergy amongst different
segments of the industry. There is a need to pick up themes, which are long-term in
nature, and not just transactional. Some of such themes could be supply chain and
productivity, which needs attention continuously and goes beyond the year after and
a lot of things can fall under the productivity. It could be related to any infrastructure
including ports, terminals, and trucks. 
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; Logistics policy is required to be formulated after taking into account multi-modal
space, and overall infra and asset utilisation space. 
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; There is a need to identify and highlight bottlenecks and ASSOCHAM could be the
    window to represent such things to the government to ensure that these bottlenecks
    are removed 
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; It is a happy development that logistics is being seen by the government as a great
    lever for pushing the economy forward. Now logistics is backed by a lot of digitization
    and it will bring transparency and efficiency in operations.
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; There is a need to advocate with the public policy authorities to set standards in place
    for creating an efficient logistic environment in the country.

  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; The Government has one district one product program. Now, no product can succeed
    if its supply chain is not efficient. Any product being made in any district will need raw
    material to be moved, and it will also need finished products to be put out in the
    market. Logistics and supply chain management can improve the overall program of
    the Government.
  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; Skill-building in the logistic sector is a point of concern, particularly, given the fact that
    speciality chemical sector is taking rebirth in India, movement of chemicals might see
    a big challenge in this country due to lack of skill in this sector.

  </p>
  <p style='text-align:justify;'>
  &#9679; Logistics sector needs uniformity and seamless connectivity across all the sectors
    across transportation; road or sea transportation. The whole data architecture,
    movement of goods and services should be seamless. There is a need to see the
    business from a customer's perspective. The different interpretation of rules by
    different agencies is another challenge for the industry.
  </p>
  <p>The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to the Chair<br>
  ******
  </p>