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West Bengal Boosting Logistics Efficiency and Trade Facilitation Program (WBLETF) (P174825)

The Government of West Bengal, through the Department of Industries, Commerce and Enterprises and West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, has undertaken an important initiative titled West Bengal Boosting Logistics Efficiency and Trade Facilitation Program (WBLETF) with support from the World Bank Group. The program aims to strengthen the logistics ecosystem and improve trade facilitation in the state to support export-led growth, private sector development, and employment generation.

West Bengal’s strategic geographic location, with international borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan and strong multimodal connectivity through ports, roads, railways, and inland waterways, provides significant potential for the state to emerge as a major logistics and trade hub in eastern India. The state has been actively advancing policy initiatives to promote logistics development and trade competitiveness, including the West Bengal Logistics Policy (2023) and the Export Promotion Policy (2023).

Building on these initiatives, the WBLETF program seeks to further strengthen the state’s logistics ecosystem, enhance trade facilitation mechanisms, and promote efficient supply chains to support sustained economic growth and export expansion in West Bengal.

The total estimated cost of the program is USD 250 million, of which USD 150 million (60%) will be financed by the World Bank, while the remaining USD 100 million (40%) will be provided by the Government of West Bengal.

The Program Development Objective (PDO) of WBLETF is to enhance export-led growth in West Bengal by strengthening institutional capacity, improving logistics efficiency, and reducing trade costs. The program focuses on the following two Result Areas:

Result Area 1: Enhanced Institutional Capacity for Promoting Trade and Logistics

Activities under this Result Area will strengthen the institutional ecosystem required to support trade and logistics development in the state. Specifically, it will enable the following results:

● Development of a comprehensive Logistics Master Plan aligned with national initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy.
● Strengthened institutional mechanisms for trade facilitation and coordination across departments and agencies.
● Development of digital trade governance systems to provide exporters and businesses with easier access to information and services.
● Skill development and capacity building in the logistics sector, with a focus on enhancing participation of women.

Result Area 2: Reduced Trade Costs

Activities under this Result Area aim to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of logistics and trade operations in the state. Specifically, it will enable the following results:

● Streamlined land mutation and land conversion processes to support faster development of logistics infrastructure.
● Strengthened agricultural and food testing infrastructure to support export competitiveness and compliance with international standards.
● Promotion of energy-efficient cold storage and warehousing infrastructure to improve logistics performance.
● Improved freight movement and border logistics efficiency through digital systems and better coordination across trade corridors.

Downloads

Government Resolutions

Project Documents

1. Program Appraisal Document (PAD)

2. Environmental and Social Systems Assessment (ESSA)

3. Program Information Document (PID)

4. Program Operations Manual

5. Procurement Complain Handling Protocol

6. Template for the forward-looking Procurement Plan and the actual procurement plan

7. Template for Contract Award Notice and the past awarded contracts

8. Template for Reporting of (past) Procurement

9. Template for Expenditure Statement