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India is formulating grading and rating standards for warehouses and cold-chain facilities in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, as stated by Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary, DPIIT. Speaking at FICCI’s third Logistics, Warehousing and Cold Chain Summit, Kumar indicated that the government is still determining the regulatory framework for these ratings, considering options such as a government entity or industry-led self-regulation. Facilities achieving a designated grade may be eligible for enhanced access to incentives and credit. This rating initiative follows the recent publication of two sets of warehouse standards and guidelines by DPIIT. The department is also collaborating with state governments to incorporate warehousing and cold chain infrastructure into their logistics policies and to develop city logistics plans encompassing warehouses, dark stores, and cold storage. Kumar added that the DPIIT’s logistics division is in the process of drafting guidelines for multimodal logistics parks (MMLPs), where warehousing and cold chains represent approximately 70 per cent of the space. The forthcoming guidelines are intended to encourage value-added services, including labelling, packaging, redistribution, and digitalisation.
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