The Hindu : `Malupu' to benefit seven lakh leather workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 23, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

`Malupu' to benefit seven lakh leather workers

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR AUG. 22. There is vast potential to be explored in the leather industry, provided the flayers and tanners improve their skills in making the leather goods, Project Executive of the Leather Industrial Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (LIDCAP), Joseph, said here today. Speaking at an awareness programme for flayers and tanners conducted under the `Malupu' programme, he said the country is earning about Rs. 10,000 crores in foreign exchange through the export of leather goods every year. Besides, crores of rupees worth trade is being carried on within the country.

Identified footwear makers are given training at Chennai, Agra and Hyderabad to learn the skills in their work. As master trainees, they were 10 selected members each as part of Malupu. Flayers and tanners belonging to SC-B category could avail of the programme and those selected for the 30-day training would be given a stipend of Rs. 1,500.

In Anantapur district, 37 artisans were trained as master trainees and they would train 113 selected beneficiaries for a month soon. LIDCAP would market the products made during the artisans' training period, he said. Every training centre is provided with modern leather goods making implements worth Rs. 10 lakhs, he said. Explaining the objectives of Malupu, he said the Government plans to benefit seven lakh leather artisans in the next five years. About one lakh artisans would be benefited by the end of October 2004. The training programme, which commenced in Anantapur today would be taken up at Hindupur tomorrow, he said. After the training, the artisans would form groups of five members each and each group would be given financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh comprising 50 per cent subsidy. About 4,000 flayers and tanners in the district would be trained, he said.

The District Collector, B. Rajasekhar, said the trainees of Malupu need discipline and determination to improve their lives. The Joint Collector, Shashibhushan Kumar, asked the leather artisans make products, which could withstand competition in the market. The Project Director of Velugu, I. Samuel Anandkumar, the Executive Director of SC Corporation, M. Venkateswarlu, the Deputy Director of Social Welfare, G. Bennaiah, and others also participated.

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