MSME shoemakers seek exemption from BIS

Agra, July 19 (KNN) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) units manufacturing shoes in Agra, Uttar Pradesh are protesting against the imposition of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.

The shoe units observed a total shutdown on Monday and the owners held a series of meetings on Tuesday, reported The Statesman.

As majority of the shoes are made in small and cottage industry units, the factory owners are strongly oppose the BIS imposition and are unable to apply it their own made shoes.

Most of the industries in Agra produce hand-made shoes and as these shoes are mostly made in small and cottage industry units, it is not possible to impose these rules here, the protesters said.

“This is my request and demand from our government that BIS should be removed from handmade footwear,” a shoe manufacturer said.

The smaller units want “no arbitrary imposition” of standards, as the certification would add to the costs, and thus make their existence difficult in a highly competitive market, reported The Statesman.

Agra city is the biggest hub of leather shoe industries in India and exports a major chunk of its production.  (KNN Bureau)