The Government of India has sanctioned a ₹50 crore (~$5.23 million) Zero Solid Waste Discharge facility for the leather cluster in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu. The project will convert leather processing waste into industrial use salt and help reduce the environmental impact of leather manufacturing.
The announcement was made during an interactive meeting organized by the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) on June 8 2026 at Taj Connemara Chennai to review the achievements of the Make in India initiative and its impact on India’s leather, footwear and leather products sector.
Nidhi Kesarwani, IAS, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Petal Dillon, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and Taruna Doliya, Director, Department of Commerce, Government of India, attended the meeting along with Mukhtarul Amin, Vice Chairman, CLE, Abdul Wahab, Regional Chairman (South), CLE, Aqeel Panaruna, former Chairman, CLE, and other industry leaders and stakeholders.
“This will be one of its kind in the world and will convert the solid waste generated into industrial use salt which is economical for the industry.”
– Nidhi Kesarwani, IAS, Joint Secretary, DPIIT
The facility is being developed as a tripartite project involving the Tamil Nadu government, industry-led Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and the Centre. It is targeted for completion by December 2026.
The initiative is part of a broader push to make India’s leather industry more sustainable. Tamil Nadu is a key beneficiary under the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) with 8 of the 9 Common Effluent Treatment Plants located in the state.
The sector has already invested in Zero Liquid Discharge systems and the new facility is expected to further support sustainable manufacturing and improve export competitiveness.
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