New Delhi: Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that the leather industry in India would aim at a net-zero carbon footprint to meet the environmental norms. For sustainability in the sector, the government would promote innovative StartUps, he added.
He was addressing the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute in Chennai.
Dr Jitendra, who is also the Union Minister of State (independent charge) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (independent charge) Ministry of Earth Science besides MoS of Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, said that the carbon footprint of leather processing activity needed to approach zero levels and the bio-economy of animal skin-derived products was the new mantra of the time.
He said that the carrying capacity requirements of the leather sector in locations like Tamil Nadu demanded the implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge as the enforced environmental norm, which was under discussion.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pitch for new innovations and next-generation technologies, Dr Jitendra said, the sustainability of the leather sector was likely to emerge as the new challenge for CSIR-CLRI in its journey from the platinum to the centenary.
He said, “The new vision for leather research and industry during the next 25 years may need to be on sustainability, net-zero carbon footprint, gaining total recyclability of leather-based materials, bio-economy of animal skin-derived products, and ensuring income parity for workers, besides brand building.”
Union Minister of State in PMO offered attractive financial support from DST to Startups to come up with innovative and market-friendly leather products. He said that the efforts were on to prepare customized footwear for Indians by using 3D technology to scan the feet of the person to prepare their footwear. He said 73 districts in the country were included to implement the project in the first phase.
Dr Jitendra said that the leather footwear needed to be designed and developed into foot care solutions with foot hygiene and wearer comfort as the Unique Selling Properties. He said, “There are as many as half a million cells in the palm of feet that enable the sweating process and leather enjoys an unmatched potential for transpiration.”