A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to set up India’s first ‘Gati Shakti Research Chair’ in Shillong today.
The chair initiative aims to foster stronger collaboration between the government and academia, leading to the development of high-quality public research in integrated, multi-modal logistics, and supply chain resilience. It will also play a vital role in enhancing the capacity of students and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region to fully leverage the benefits of initiatives like the PM Gati Shakti National Masterplan, National Logistics Policy, and the Unified Logistics Interface Platform.
IIM Shillong will spearhead efforts to enrich the intellectual environment, bolster research capabilities, broaden research involvement, and strengthen the connection between academia and industry practitioners.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who attended the signing ceremony said with the establishment of the chair, the Northeast is poised to take lead in the research and development of multimodal logistics activities, capacity building and outputs. The student fraternity will now have an opportunity to hone their skills and build their careers in the field of logistics, he said.
A strategic round table was also organised to discuss the multimodal logistics development strategy for connecting the region to the wider national and international regions to strengthen the local economy at the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis.
The meet attempted at strategising for the development of a collective NER logistics policy in line with the National Logistic Mission as well as steps for the operationalisation and implementation of the policies related to multimodal logistics in the North East.
