The Leather Industry holds a prominent place in the Indian economy. This sector is known for its consistency in high export earnings and is among the top ten foreign exchange earners for the country. It is an employment intensive industry, providing jobs to about 2.5 million people, mostly from the weaker sections of the society. The Indian leather industry is bestowed with an affluence of raw materials as India is endowed with 21% of the world™s cattle & buffalo and 11% of the world™s goat & sheep population.
India accounts for a share of close to 3% of global leather import trade. With an annual turnover of over US $ 7.5 billion, the export of leather and leather products increased over the past decade and touched US $ 4.86 billion in 2011-12 with a cumulative annual growth rate of about 8.22% (5 years).
Incentives and facilities provided to leather based industries under the Indian Leather Development Programme (ILDP) are not provided state wise. However, for the skill development of the leather sector work force, training is provided under the sub scheme of Human Resource Development. During the Eleventh Plan 50,250 persons were provided training out of which 41486 were placed in the industry. Rs. 44.88 crore was released for the same.
The Government of India has also set up Campuses of Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) in Noida,Fursatganj (Uttar Pradesh), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Kolkata (West Bengal), Rohtak (Haryana), Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh), Jodhpur (Rajasthan) towards training of manpower for the Leather industry.
Further, Department of Commerce is administering Assistance to States for Infrastructure Development of Exports (ASIDE) Scheme as per ASIDE guidelines with the objective to involve the states in the export effort by providing assistance to the State Governments for creating appropriate infrastructure for the development and growth of exports. The outlay of the scheme has two components i.e. 80% of the funds (State component) and 20% (central component).
(i) The details of financial assistance provided under Central Component of ASIDE Scheme for Leather Sector are as below:
| S.No. | Agency Name | Project Name | Year of sanction | Total Cost | Contribution ASIDE | Status |
| 1. | Council for Leather Exports | Development of additional infrastructure in the Ambur Trade Centre | 2009-2010 |
268.00 |
201.00 |
Completed |
| 2. | -do- | Establishment of Testing Laboratory at Ranipet(Tamilnadu) | 2010-2011 |
979.00 |
734.00 |
Under Implementation |
| 3. | -do- | Infrastructure upgradation of Design Studio in Kolkata | 2010-2011 |
320.34 |
288.30 |
Completed |
| 4. | -do- | Establishment of Common Facility Centre in the leather cluster of Jalandhar | 2011-2012 |
251.00 |
200.00 |
Under Implementation |
| 5. | -do | Establishment of Trade Centre at Agra (Uttar Pradesh) | 2012-2013 |
2,173.83 |
1,739.06 |
Under Implementation |
| 6. | FootwareDesign &Development Institute | Skill upgradation of footwear artisans, Saharanpur | 2002-2003 |
51.81 |
51.81 |
Completed |
| 7. | -do- | Satellite Design Institute at Mumbai | 2003-2004 |
69.45 |
69.45 |
Completed |
| 8. | -do- | Setting up of a museum at FDDI Campus | 2005-2006 |
64.00 |
64.00 |
Completed |
| 9. | -do- | Procurement of Training Machines concerning Footwear | 2006-2007 |
398.00 |
398.00 |
Completed |
| 10. | -do- | Setting up Auditorium and procurement of Machines | 2006-2007 |
99.00 |
99.00 |
Completed |
| 11. | -do- | Establishment of International Design Studio at FDDI,Fursatganj, Rae Bareli, UP | 2010-2011 |
1,215.00 |
1,215.00 |
Completed |
| 12. | -do- | Operator Training Centre at FDDI,Fursatganj, Rae Bareli | 2011-2012 |
1,570.00 |
785.00 |
Under Implementation |
| 13. | -do- | Upgradation of International Testing Centre at Noida and Chennai | 2011-2012 |
497.00 |
437.00 |
Completed |
(ii) The details of State-wise financial assistance provided under State Component of ASIDE Scheme for Leather Sector are as below:
| S.No. | State | Project Name | Year of sanction | Total Cost | Contribution ASIDE | Status |
| 1. | Andhra Pradesh | CETP, Kunoor Leather Park, LIDCAP 2005-06 | 2005-2006 |
200.00 |
100.00 |
Completed |
| 2 | Karnataka | Infrastructure Development for footwear artisans in Athani, Belgaum | 2005-2006 |
77.00 |
60.00 |
Completed |
| 3 | -do- | Establishment of Export Facility Centre for Leather Technology Assistance | 2007-2008 |
679.00 |
483.00 |
Under Implementation |
| 4 | Tamil Nadu | CLE – Setting up off CETP for Leather Industries,Ranipet | 2002-2003 |
176.00 |
75.00 |
Completed |
| 5 | -do- | CLE – Setting up of Common Facilities & Service Centre for Leather Industries in Madhavaram, Chennai | 2004-2005 |
205.00 |
74.50 |
Completed |
| 6 | -do- | CLE – RO for PerunduraiLeather CETP, Perundurai | 2005-2006 |
1,053.66 |
300.00 |
Completed |
| 7 | Uttar Pradesh | Multi Skill Development Centre for Leather Ind at Kanpur-Unnao cluster. | 2009-2010 |
924.31 |
701.93 |
Under Implementation |
| 8 | -do- | Testing lab for footware,saddlery and finished leatherind. at Kanpur-Unnao leather cluster. | 2009-2010 |
976.23 |
826.23 |
Under Implementation |
| 9 | -do- | CFC for Meat/Leather Bye Products at Bareilly | 2010-2011 |
437.74 |
318.49 |
Under Implementation |
| 10 | West Bengal | Construction of ILPA Training Institute for Leather Goods Manufacturing in Calcutta Leather Complex | 2008-2009 |
569.00 |
562.00 |
Under Implementation |
| 11 | -do- | Export Quality Designer Leather Training Production Mart, Bolpur | 2010-2011 |
750.00 |
528.00 |
Under Implementation |
This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Dr. D. Purandeswari in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
