Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal virtually attended the Self-Employment Workshop of Chamakdar Yuva Samaj, organized by the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) on October 30, 2025, in North Mumbai.
Guidance was provided to 50 cobblers by Vikas Mahtani, Regional Chairman (West) and Naresh Bhasin and Kunal Bajaj, Committee of Administration Members of CLE.
The session aimed to empower the cobbler community through targeted training, entrepreneurship guidance and exposure to modern technology.
Piyush Goyal interacted with participants through video conference and encouraged them to explore new business opportunities in the footwear and leather sector.
He highlighted that the growing demand for high-quality footwear in both domestic and international markets presents a strong opportunity for youth to become self-reliant and independent.
Goyal stated that both the Central and State governments are implementing several initiatives to strengthen the leather and footwear sector.
He added that young entrepreneurs are being encouraged to focus on design innovation, comfort and style in their products.
The reduction of GST on footwear from 12% to 5% has made manufacturing and sales more competitive. Schemes such as the Rohidas Leather Industries and Charmakar Development Corporation Ltd. and Micro Credit Finance are helping youth access training and financial support to start their own ventures.
To improve product quality and global competitiveness, the government has implemented a Quality Control Order (QCO) to prevent the sale of substandard goods.
Piyush Goyal noted that this step will help Indian products gain more recognition in international markets.
Following the success of the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Kolhapuri chappals, similar recognition is being considered for traditional footwear such as Mojari.
The workshop included multiple interactive sessions led by experienced mentors and industry experts. Topics covered entrepreneurship development, modern production technology, business setup and sales strategies under the vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India).
Participants shared that the initiative not only gave them hands-on training but also built their confidence to establish their own businesses.
