Govt must invest in automation & manpower

Deepak Tiwari, COO, KSH Logistics, while sharing his expectations from the upcoming budget 2023-2024, which will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, said, “In 2023, we need the government to address some crucial issues like rising rental prices, fuel prices, and infrastructure cost which has significantly increased the operational cost for any logistics company. There should be an incentive-based system where people building warehouses are rewarded, and the tenant gets the place at a much cheaper rate/sq. ft. The government should also consider investing heavily in automation and incentivizing warehouses that integrate these technologies. On the banking front, interest rates are very high. The interest rate on Capex investment must be decreased. Logistics is a manpower-intensive industry, and while the Skill Council is trying to upgrade the skillsets of human resources, we also need training institutes to train them in the latest technologies and promote R&D and innovation. We also need to bring diversity in the workforce and create equal opportunities for women and 3rd gender individuals. Lastly, with all the infrastructure development that the government is doing in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, if that gets expedited, then we get a better landscape to work. Today the metros are saturated. It’s time to focus and build the rest of India.”