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The Centre has decided to extend the deadline for implementation of the quality control order on footwear by a year to July 1, 2023 in response to representations made by the domestic footwear industry. The order once implemented will make it compulsory for manufacturers, importers and traders of footwear to obtain Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) licenses.
In a notifications issued on June 3, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), said that quality control orders for footwear made from leather and other materials besides those made with rubber and polymeric material and components will be come into effect from July 1, 2023.
“Goods or articles specified in (the notifications) shall conform to the corresponding Indian Standard and shall bear the Standard Mark under a licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards,” the notification stated.
This is the second time the government has deferred the implementation of the quality order for footwear. Earlier it was slated to be implemented in July 2020 but due to the pandemic it was deferred until July 1, 2021.
Relief for industry
This brings much-needed relief to the footwear industry especially MSME’s involved in footwear production that had been seeking more time for compliance with the BIS standards.
Earlier, industry bodies such as Indian Footwear Association (IFA) and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had said that it would be challenging for smaller footwear makers to comply with BIS standards. Industry bodies had also suggested to the government to enforce compulsory laws only on footwear priced above ₹1,000.
Welcoming the decision, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that India is the second largest footwear manufacturer in the world with 9 per cent of the annual global production. “More than 10,000 manufacturing units and about 1.5 lakh footwear traders spread all over India are engaging more than 30 lakh people in manufacturing or trading activities,” he added. He added that nearly 85 per cent of the manufacturers are small scale in nature.
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