Investment in logistics to touch $500 bn by 2025: Prabhu
New Delhi, July 30 : Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday said investments in logistics and infrastructure will touch $500 billion by 2025 as the country becomes an attractive destination for manufacturing and services.
"Expenditure on investment in logistics, including infrastructure, will touch $500 billion, by 2025... this will create millions of jobs and also do away with the hurdles hampering India's internal and global trade," Prabhu said at an event here.
Prabhu said India, with initiatives like "Digital India, Make in India and Skill India", is now being looked upon as one of the most appropriate destinations for manufacturing and service locations by many of the foreign companies.
The minister further said the government has taken many measures to improve the trade performance through efficient and effective logistics including granting of infrastructure status to "warehousing, cold chains and multi-modal logistics parks".
"The measures include smoothening of the border and cross border documentation and activities, dedicated freight corridors, investments in port and other infrastructures, alignment of all business processes thus attempting to improve logistics performance of the country," he was quoted as saying in an official statement.
According to Prabhu, the ministry is working on a "National Logistics Policy" and another policy on the development of "Multi-modal Logistics Parks" to be announced soon.
A logistics wing has been created in the Department of Commerce for integrated development of the sector.
Prabhu was speaking at an event where the commerce department's logistics wing and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) singned an MoU for setting up a Centre for Trade Facilitation and Logistics Excellence (CTFL).
The Centre has been given a mandate to bring together industry, academia, governments and organizations of national and international level, to work on key supply chain and logistics and management challenges facing firms in the globalised environment.
Prabhu said the cost and speed of logistics at present is hindering the market share that Indian products deserve and CTFL will attempt to solve these issues. It will also train trade facilitation and logistics professionals and government officials concerned.
The minister also released the logo of logistics division. It is a graphic symbol representing a pair of swans known for their ability to travel long distances and are comfortable in the sky, water and on earth and represents team work between various partners in logistics.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
