The minister informed that the Central Government is implementing three sub-schemes under Indian Leather Development Programme (ILDP) during the 11th Five Year Plan to meet the requirement of manpower in the leather industry.

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"The government is implementing a sub-scheme, "Integrated Development of Leather Sector" (IDLS) with an outlay of Rs. 253.43 crore  under ILDP during the 11th Five Year Plan period," release said.

Under the sub-scheme, assistance are provided to leather units in the form of investment grant at a rate of 30% for Small Scale Industries (SSI) and 20% for non-SSI upto Rs. 50 lakh. Assistance above Rs 50 lakhs is provided at a rate of 20% within ceiling of Rs. 2 crore.

Testing facilities for the Leather Industry exist at Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai and its Regional Centres at Jallandhar, Kolkata and Kanpur; Footwear Design and Development Institute at Noida and Fursatganj; and Testing Centre in the Footwear Component  Park at Chennai.

For addressing the environmental issues of the Leather Industry, the Central Government is implementing a sub-scheme "Environment Initiatives" with an outlay of Rs. 200 crore under ILDP during the 11th Five Year Plan period.