Leather & Footwear Industry sees a new ‘high’; eyes at funds, proposals of research centers

New Delhi, May 4 (KNN) The Leather and Footwear Industry is doing rounds recently as there are fresh proposals for funds to the sector. Also different State Governments are batting for setting up Leather Research and Development centres in their states in a bid to attract and transform the industry.

The 4000 package

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has asked for a 4000 crore package from the Finance Ministry to boost the leather and footwear industry in the country. The proposal is under consideration and awaits approval from all concerned ministries including Skill Development, Environment and Water Resources Ministry.

Talking to KNN, Rafeeque Ahmed of the All India Skin & Hide Tanners and Merchants Association said that the purpose of the policy is to create more job opportunities in the sector.

“Textile and Leather Industry helps generate rural employment, the package is intended to achieve this aim” Ahmed added. He further informed that the proposal however needs to be revised as there are many relevant contents the proposal fails to touch. His association is planning to approach the officials at the DIPP to voice these concerns

Earlier this year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that a special scheme would be launched for the leather and footwear industry similar to the one launched for textile industry last year that equipped the sector with a 6000 crore package.

Haryana

The Haryana Government under the leadership of CM Manohar Lal Khattar has recently come up with a proposal to set up National Design Studio (NDS) for research on leather products in Karnal with an aim to further strengthen the leather industry in the state. In a proposal sent to Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Khattar has emphasized the need to have a National Design Studio to innovate the leather industry.  The CM further said that NDS will prove to be instrumental to the already existing footwear units such as Relaxo and Liberty that exists in the State.

Tamil Nadu

The leather industry in Tamil Nadu that amounts to almost 40 per cent of the country’s total leather exports claims to have found ways to convert waste residual from the leather manufacturing units into saleable raw material.

This revelation by the Central leather Research institute (CLRI) and Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) comes as a big relief during a scenario when the leather industry in the state is seeing a residual pile of almost one lakh tonnes by the CETP. The residual that can neither be stocked nor disposed posed huge risks to the environment. The research helps separate sodium chloride and sodium sulphate in the residual, making the residual saleable in the market. (KNN/ DA)