NEW DELHI - The logistics sector has been giving a positive response to the recently launched Unified Logistics Interface Platform(ULIP).
Launched only six months ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the ‘National Logistics Policy’ in September 2022, more than 400 companies have registered themselves at the ULIP portal, and 68 companies have signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) with ULIP for accessing its data sets, the Commerce Ministry said on Friday 24 March.
As per the Ministry, leveraging ULIP’s API integration, the industry players have developed more than 30 applications and more than 6.5 crore API hits have already been processed.
ULIP’s dedicated portal makes the process of data request simpler, faster, and transparent and facilitates India’s logistics sector with data-driven visibility and transparency. Data-driven visibility and transparency provided by ULIP have facilitated the logistics sector in optimising the utilisation of technology.
“With ULIP, we definitely envisage transparency, efficiency and reduced overall logistics cost. ULIP will keep on contributing to the Indian Logistics Sector with a new and innovative approach which will eventually help the fulfilment of the vision of PM GatiShakti through National Logistics Policy (NLP).” said Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary, Logistics Division, DPIIT. Cont’d from Pg.3 ..... Dawara, who is also the CEO and MD of NICDC and Chairman of NLDSL, further added that ULIP should now focus on fulfilling data requirements for logistics of specific sectors like coal, cement, fertiliser, foodgrain, etc.
Major industry players like Maruti Suzuki, DHL, Safexpress, Ultratech, TCIL, Jindal Stainless, Tata Steel, Yes Bank, BOSCH, Total Group, etc have already onboarded on ULIP, to develop their use-cases which will benefit them and their stakeholders alike.
According to the Ministry, ULIP users with API based integration can utilise the data for various activities and services like multi-modal track and trace, people and vehicle authentication, document digitisation, process automation at yards and gates, discovery services etc, which shall lead to reduction of overall operational cost of logistics and save time.
The new FTP was initially scheduled on April 1, 2020, but it was postponed several times, mainly to tide over the uncertainties unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The last extension of the FTP (2015-20) is set to expire on March 31, 2023. The new FTP is expected to be in place from April 1, 2023.
SCOMET to be introduced
Apart from new chapters on e-commerce exports and district export hubs, one on dual items under Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) is also likely to be introduced.
India’s exports of goods in the current fiscal have slowed down since July and are set to post only a small increase over last fiscal’s exports of $422 billion. The slowdown is due to the shrinking of demand in major markets in the West struggling with high inflation and rising interest rates and uncertainties due to the on-going Russia-Ukraine war.
“The vision and strategy statement will chart out a course for development of foreign trade in the longer term keeping in view the evolving global system,” the source said, adding that it will be a forward-looking document.