STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A saga of vocal for local in the leather industry has been in the making in Assam with the participation of a few energetic and enthusiastic local youths. The leather industry suffered a setback in the state of COVID-19 because of a steep hike in the prices of raw materials that come from Delhi, Kolkata, and other places. Raw leathers from China, Italy, and other countries are also available in the market. With the fall in the prices of raw leathers in the market, the industry has started to flourish in the state. A significant change in the industry in the state is that a section of local youths has evinced interest in this sector that had no presence of local businessmen till in the recent past. The good sign now is that local youths have started to see their prospects in this hitherto rejected sector. The ex-panse of this industry lies in the fact that it produces diverse products like footwear, bags, belts, jackets. caps. wallets, accessories, furniture, etc.
Talking to The Sentinel, Azizar Rahman, a local youth hailing from the aiming district, who has been running his business in Guwahati—Yasir Leather House—for the past 16 years said, "Leather is one of the best quality materials to manufacture accessories of garments and furniture. Though leather is more expensive than other materials like rexine, its durability compensates for its high cost. Our products have been crafted with genuine leather, combining durability with timeless style." When asked about customers' rush for local products, he said, "We sell durable quality products at cheaper rates than branded companies. Apart from this, we can provide exact sizes that customers need. Sometimes, we need to produce products of odd sizes as per asking designs based on orders." Sharing the secret behind his suc-cess story in this sector, he said, "In 2012, I took a Rs 3 lakh loan under PM-EGP (Prime Minister's Employ-ment Generation Programme) to start with this business.
The present central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered various schemes for the development of the handicraft industries that include the leather industry. The schemes have the provisions of honing skills and providing loans for setting up businesses." This sector in the state has the presence of other local youths as well. The local entrepreneurs in this sector are an unorganized lot as of now, he said.
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