Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday reviewed the draft of the Uttar Pradesh Footwear, Leather and Non-Leather Sector Development Policy, 2025, and underlined the need for making the document practical and result-driven to unlock its full potential.
Chairing a meeting of the MSME Department, the CM instructed officials to adopt a cluster-based development model as a core strategy and emphasised the importance of identifying regions best suited for industry-specific development.
Highlighting the state’s strong base — skilled artisans, raw materials, and industrial hubs like Agra, Kanpur, and Unnao, he said integrated production, design, research, and training on a single platform will attract large-scale investments.
The Chief Minister stressed the need to develop key infrastructure like flatted factory complexes to offer modern, efficient work spaces for industrial units.
He was informed by officials that the proposed policy could generate around 22 lakh new jobs in the coming years — marking a potential turning point in Uttar Pradesh’s rise as a global hub of footwear and leather manufacturing.
Currently, India ranks as the second-largest producer and consumer in the world in the footwear and leather sector, with Uttar Pradesh playing a significant role. Over 200 operational tanneries are located in Kanpur and Unnao, while Agra is recognised as the ‘Footwear Capital’ of the country.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the policy should not only promote leather and non-leather footwear manufacturing units, but also extend special incentives to ancillary units producing components like buckles, zips, soles, insoles, laces, dyes, chemicals, heels, threads, tags, and labels. He also stressed support for units manufacturing specialised machinery for leather stitching, cutting, moulding, and production of non-leather safety shoes.
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This integrated approach, he said, would help establish a complete and localised ‘design-to-delivery’ ecosystem within the state. He highlighted the need for robust strategies for skilling, packaging, and marketing to enhance product quality and competitiveness.
The meeting also included a discussion on the proposed Uttar Pradesh Industrial Asthan Policy. Officials noted several challenges in the current system, including inefficient land utilisation, lease execution complexities, unauthorised mortgaging and subletting and idle plots.
The new policy aims to eliminate these hurdles by introducing a transparent, streamlined, and time-bound system, it was informed. Plot allotment will be conducted via e-auctions or other transparent methods, with land prices determined area-wise. However, land rates for anchor units will be set by the state government, they said.
Calling the proposed policy “practical and forward looking,” the Chief Minister said, “A clear, simplified and accountable process — from land allotment to lease execution, construction, and production—would provide confidence to investors and catalyze industrial growth.”
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He also suggested the adoption of a “lease rent model” to ensure optimal utilisation of limited industrial land, minimise capital expenditure for investors, and accelerate development.
To promote private industrial parks, the CM advocated for incentives such as capital subsidies, stamp duty exemptions, and electricity and logistics support, along with a single-window approval system. He directed the officials to develop an integrated online portal for applications and disbursement of incentives to ensure a fully digital, seamless, and trackable policy implementation process.
