Composition of the Authority

The Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) was constituted on 26.10.2010 under the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007 vide Government of India Gazette Notification dated 26th October 2010. The Act provides for the establishment of the WDRA to exercise the powers conferred on it and to perform the functions assigned to it under the Act, Rules and Regulations for the development and regulation of warehouses, negotiability of warehouse receipts and promote orderly growth of the warehousing business in the country.

The WDRA is a Statutory Authority under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India. The Authority has its Headquarters in New Delhi.

The Authority consists of a Chairperson and two Members appointed by the Central Government. The post of Chairperson is held by Ms Anita Praveen, IAS (Retd.) w.e.f  05.12.2024 

 

1. Smt. Anita Praveen, Chairperson

 

Ms Anita Praveen (IAS:89:TN)(Retd.) assumed charge as Chairperson, Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority(WDRA) on 5th December, 2024. Prior to this, she was Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India and retired from the Government service on 30.11.2024.

 

She has rich and varied experience of working with Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu for over 35 years as a member of the Indian Administrative Service.

 

Ms Anita Praveen held various important portfolios in the State of Tamil Nadu. She worked as Secretary Expenditure, Planning and Development and worked in various bodies in Urban Development, Industries and Social Development Sectors.

 

On her Central Deputation, she worked as Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Government of India for a period of three years.

 

Thereafter, she was elevated to the post of Additional Secretary and worked in the Ministry of Communications, Government of India for a period of three years.

 

Then she served as Special Secretary/Secretary in the Ministry of Food Processing and Industries, Government of India for three years.

 

Besides the above work, she also held important additional assignment as Chairman, APEDA during her tenure in Department of Commerce, Government of India.

 

Ms Anita Praveen has an M.Sc in Zoology, M.A. in Public Policy and Sustainable Development and Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.

 

 

 

2.Shri Arun Kumar Shrivastava, Member

 

Shri Arun Kumar Shrivastava took over the charge of Member, Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) on 14th Dec’2022. Prior to this, he was Managing Director, Central Warehousing Corporation (a Navratna Schedule-A CPSE/PSU, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution), a post from which he retired w.e.f. 31st Oct’2022.

 

Shri Arun Kumar Shrivastava was a member of the Indian Railway Services of Engineers (UPSC Exam Batch:1986). He has held important portfolios in leadership position, like, Chief Engineer, Northern Railways, Executive Director, Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, Chief Technical Officer, Pipavava Railway Corporation and Executive Director, Container Corporation of India. While working as Managing Director, CWC, he had close interaction with WDRA and the Ministry. He has diverse professional experience of managing organizations, like, Indian Railways, Public Sector Undertakings and coordination with Central and State Governments and broad affairs of finance, human resource development, marketing & corporate & strategic planning, etc. He has managed large size multi-disciplinary supply chain logistics and infrastructure projects from concept to commissioning. He has developed integrated scientific warehousing complex for agriculture produce and other notified commodities, ecommerce, multi-modal logistics parks, Inland Container Depot, Private Freight Terminal, revenue line & new line construction and done research & development & standardisation, innovations, etc..

 

Shri Arun Kumar Shrivastava, has a B. Tech (Civil Engineering) Degree from IIT, BHU, Varanasi Master of Technology (Building science and construction management) from IIT, Delhi. He has attended several management development programme / workshops in India and abroad.

 

 

3.Shri Shanti Lal Jain, Member

 

Shri Shanti Lal Jain assumed charge as Member of the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) on March 24, 2025. With over three decades of rich experience in the banking and financial sector, he brings a wealth of expertise in banking digital transformation, operational excellence, and financial strategy.

 

Prior to joining WDRA, he served as the Managing Director & CEO of Indian Bank from September 1, 2021, to December 31, 2024. Under his visionary leadership, the bank achieved significant business milestones, strengthened its financial position, and gained industry-wide recognition. He spearheaded major initiatives, including Project WAVE—a suite of digital banking solutions aimed at enhancing customer experience—and IND PRIDE, a transformative HR initiative fostering a high-performance culture. His strategic leadership also enabled Indian Bank to raise ₹14,000 crore through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) and long-term infrastructure bonds, fortifying its capital base and expansion plans.

During his tenure, Indian Bank received numerous prestigious accolades, such as the Best BFSI Brand recognition by The Economic Times, the DSIJ Banking Award for Fastest Growing Bank (PSB category), and the Most Preferred Workplace 2023-24 in the BFSI sector.

Before leading Indian Bank, he served as Executive Director at Bank of Baroda (2018-2021), where he played a pivotal role in the successful amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank. His responsibilities included Large Corporate Credit, Stressed Assets, and International Banking. Additionally, he served as Nominee Director/Chairman for multiple subsidiaries of Bank of Baroda, including those in Uganda and Tanzania.

He commenced his banking career at Allahabad Bank in 1993 as a Chartered Accountant and progressed through key leadership roles, including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk Officer, and Zonal Head. His extensive industry contributions include serving as Deputy Chairman of the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and as a key member of various IBA committees on corporate credit, human resources, and finance. He also held the position of Non-Executive Chairman at Universal Sompo General Insurance Company.

An accomplished professional, he holds a postgraduate degree in Commerce and is a qualified Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, and Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB).

As a Member of WDRA, he is set to leverage his extensive leadership experience to drive regulatory excellence, promote warehouse development, and strengthen India’s agricultural and financial ecosystem.