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It is our responsibility to protect the local footwear manufacturer and assist them. 1 or the government doesn’t have any need to protect the foreign footwear manufacturer. Today, under our government many small and medium scale industrialists have started their industries. They are the ones who have come forward to uplift the quality of the local industrial programme while appreciating it. That trust cannot be broken. Thus, we don’t have any need to assist or protect the foreign footwear industrialists, he added.
In the future we hope to start a training school together with the FDDI institute in India for footwear manufacturing. Already, we are making the necessary arrangements for it. Today whatever people defend or criticize there is an increase in the local footwear industry. in comparision with the previous situation.
The minister agreed to the request of the footwear association to introduce a loan scheme with a 20 years repayment period for the leather tanning industry.
The minister emphasized that it is hoped to take steps in the future to decrease the tax percentage paid by factories from the present 13% to 5% and the releasing of vat and other taxes for imported machinery.
It was brought to the notice of the minister the need to increase Cess to Rs. 800 and to import the upper parts used for the manufacturing of Casual Deck Shoes under concessionary taxes for which there is a high demand. However, in order to protect local industrialists and to further encourage them it was decided that the Cess of Rs. 300 which was being charged up to now would be increased to Rs. 400 in 2009 and the import tax would be increased from 30% to 50%. The minister had also taken decided to increase the import, tax of a ladies shoe heel from 15% to 20%.
