Indian Leather Development Programme / ILDP: Objectives, Features and Steps to Boost the Sector

Indian Leather Development Programme/ILDP: Objectives, Features and Steps To Boost Leather Sector

Question : Capacity building of the leather industry is a key step towards the growth of this sector. Discuss the objectives and features of the recently launched Indian Leather Development Programme/ILDP as well as other steps to boost this sector.

A. ILDP: Objectives and Features

• This scheme is being implemented for the development of the leather sector in the 12th 5 Year Plan

• It has an outlay of INR 990.36 crore in the nation

Objectives

• Augment raw material base

• Capacity building

• Modernisation and up-gradation of leather units

• Addressing environmental concerns

• Establishing institutional facilities

Features

• ILDP comprises the following sub-schemes:

IDLS/Integrated Development of Leather Sector:

• Assistance is provided for technology up-gradation/modernisation and expansion as well as establishment of new leather sector units

• Sub scheme provides assistance of up to

• 30% of cost of new plant and machinery for micro as well as small enterprises

• 20% of price of new plant and machinery for other units subject to ceiling of INR 2 crore for every product line

HRD/Human Resource Development:

• Targets potential workforce for this industry

• Emphasised skill and technical development

• Project also trains and prepares persons to work in large industrial units

• Up-gradation of skills and training for supervisors is also provided

• Under Placement Linked Skill Development Training, around 75% of trained persons receive placement in the industry as per guidelines

Artisan Support:

• Clusters existing in India for traditional leather footwear/other goods are promoted through this scheme

• The aims of this sub scheme are:

- Enhancing design and product development
- Building capacity
- Provision of market support
- Setting up common facility centre
- Marketing support/linkages
- Better and more returns to artisans leading to socio-economic upliftment is the key aim of this scheme

Setting up of Institutional Facilities

• New campuses of FDDI are set up for meeting demands of:

- Designers
- Supervisors
- Mechanics
- New technologies

Leather Technology, Innovation & Environmental Issues

• Sub scheme provides financial assistance to leather cluster to meet stipulated pollution control discharge norms and key ecological standards

• Covers establishment/expansion and up-gradation of CETPs

• It also focuses on technology benchmarking for environmental management through promotion of cleaner technologies

• Utilisation of solid waste from tanneries is another part of this sub scheme

• Conducting workshops to educate tanners is another feature of this scheme

Mega Leather Cluster

• Aim is creation of state of the art infrastructure and integrating product chain to meet needs of leather industry

• Mega leather clusters will also help entrepreneurs and create jobs

• Mega leather clusters will have common facilities and cover numerous infrastructure components namely
- Core Infrastructure,
- Special Infrastructure,
- Production Infrastructure,
- HRD & Social Infrastructure,
- R&D Infrastructure and Export services related infrastructure.

B. Other Steps

Department of Commerce has taken the following steps for promotion of the leather industry:

• Setting up of leather industrial parks at Industrial growth centres in J&K

• Proposal of CLE for animal welfare projects in WB and Karnataka

• Development of additional infrastructure in Ambur Trade Centre such as fire fighting work, internal road work etc

• Setting up of testing lab at TN

• Updating infrastructure of WB Design Studio

• Establishment of common facility centre in leather cluster of Punjab’s Jalandhar

• Setting up of trade centre in UP’s Agra

• Establishment of common facility centre in TN

• Updating of Ranitec Common Effluent Treatment Plant in TN in Vellore and Chennai

Facts and Stats

• ILDP is a Central Sector Scheme

• Funds allocated in 2012-2013 for this scheme was 90 crore which was utilised

• In 2013-2014, it was INR 150.01 crore and INR 270 crore in 2014-2015

• Apart from this scheme, under the Industrial Infrastructure Up-Gradation Scheme, assistance has been provided for creation of waste disposal facilities, common effluent treatment plants and more.