Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha to declare the FDDI as an Institution of National Importance (INI).
The Footwear Design & Development Institute was established in 1986 with the objective of providing trained human resource and assistance to the sector.
FDDI has pan-India presence with campuses at Noida, Kolkata, Chennai, Fursatganj (UP), Rohtak (Haryana), Chhindwara (M.P) and Jodhpur (Rajasthan) equipped with state of art academic facilities and infrastructure.
New campuses at Hyderabad, Patna, Ankleshwar (Gujarat), Banur(Punjab) and Guna (M.P) would also start functioning shortly.
The objective of the proposed legislation is to facilitate and promote teaching, training and research in all disciplines relating to design and development of Footwear and leather products and to enable FDDI to emerge as Centre of Excellence meeting international standards.
The FDDI Bill 2017 also indicates that the Footwear Design and Development Institute must be established as a corporate body. Currently, the institute is being funded by the central government in terms of capital expenditure.
If the Bill is passed, the institute will have a Governing Council with a Chairperson who will be nominated by the central government.
Moreover, if the FDDI Bill 2017 is passed, the central government will also be responsible for allocating a budget every year for the development of the institute.
The institute will also lay more emphasis on research in the area of footwear and leather goods.
The Bill will also enable the institute to develop an international centre for creation and transmission of information and the focus will be on industrial, professional and educational commitments.
