New Delhi, June 29: The government has chalked out an action plan to counter the campaign mounted by the US against India's leather exports, commerce secretary Prabir Sengupta has said.Inaugurating a four-day Delhi international shoe fair 2000 on Thursday, Sengupta said the action plan included stricter enforcement of the existing rules pertaining to cruelty to aninmals, disseminatioin of information regarding these rules and improving the management of slaughter houses in the country.
The Council for Leather Exports CLE) was also taking steps to dispel certain wrong notions about India's leather industry, he stated.
The fair has been organised by the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), National Leather Development Programme, Indo-German Export Promotion Project and the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
Yogesh Chandra, ITPO chairman, DK Mittal, joint secretary, department of commerce, M.M. Hashim, Chairman, CLE, Alok Sinha, convener, Delhi Shoe Fair Committee and managing director, FDDI, were also present on the occasion.
Over 180 leading footwear and component manufacturers, finished leather exporters and international shoe machinery producers from Italy, France, Belgium, Poland, UAE, Malaysia and Taiwan besides India were exhibiting their products at the fair.
The focus of the fair is to boost exports of Indian footwear and shoe components, including finished leather. The fair also seeks to provide an opportunity to the industry to facilitate technology upgraation of the footwear and shoe component sector.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.