Agra is fast moving towards becoming the “Shoe Capital of the World”. Footwear exports, foreign investment and MSME sector will get a big boost through the India-New Zealand Business Meet, which will strengthen employment and the economy of UP.
Agra. Agra, the major industrial city of Uttar Pradesh, will no longer be limited to just the ‘Taj City’, but is rapidly moving towards becoming the “Shoe Capital of the World”. This ambitious initiative was launched at the ‘India-New Zealand Business Meet’ held at Hotel Amar Vilas on Sunday. The presence of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay at the event made this initiative more important. This is a clear indication that the footwear industry of Agra will give new heights to the economy of Uttar Pradesh.
Footwear export boom: Possibility of 3-5 times increase in exports
Agra already contributes more than 75% of India’s leather footwear exports. In this business meet, 3 to 5 times increase in exports is estimated through Free Trade Agreement (FTA), CEPA and other bilateral agreements. Partnership in raw material and design innovation with New Zealand will give Agra products a strong hold in the markets of Europe, America and the Middle East. This will also lead to a big increase in the revenue of the state.
Strengthening MSME sector: Employment opportunities for lakhs of youth
Agra’s footwear cluster is currently home to over 5,000 MSME units, employing 4 to 5 lakh people directly and indirectly. This new initiative and foreign investment will expand these units. This will result in creation of new jobs on a large scale, which will benefit the local youth and reduce migration.
Infrastructure and Logistics: UP business will get new momentum
The infrastructure of Uttar Pradesh will have a big contribution in making Agra competitive at the global level. The proposed footwear park at Jewar International Airport and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) will strengthen logistics. This will make transportation of goods faster and cheaper, which will prove helpful in attracting foreign investors.
Brand Agra gets global recognition: expansion of foreign investment and technology
Under this scheme, Agra will get a new identity as “City of Footwear Excellence”. By giving GI tag to the products, their identity will be strengthened in the international market. Partnership with New Zealand will not only increase production, but will also bring world class design and technology to the state. This will further strengthen the industrial capacity of Uttar Pradesh.
Government support and participation of industrialists
Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that the government is committed to providing all necessary policy support to the industry. This includes steps like zero duty on components and interest subsidy by 2030. Several industrialists, including Council for Leather Exports (CLE) Chairman Ramesh Kumar Juneja and Footwear Development Council Chairman Puran Dawar, described the initiative as historic. Many senior officials of the Government of India and New Zealand, industrialists and representatives of business organizations were present in this program. This initiative will definitely move Uttar Pradesh rapidly towards the goal of ‘One Trillion Dollar Economy’.