 Early Times Report
CHANDIGARH, June 16: In a major push for skilling, jobs and export in the state, Punjab Industries and Commerce department signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI), a central institution of national importance, to further strengthen the state's sports goods, footwear and leather manufacturing ecosystem. Congratulating the department for the deal, Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister Aman Arora termed the MoU a decisive step in transforming the state's traditional strengths into technology-driven, globally competitive capabilities.
"Our objective is to provide the sector with modern testing infrastructure, skilled manpower, design and innovation support and stronger market linkages. This partnership will enable our MSMEs to become part of national and global supply chains and expand their export presence," he stated.
At the heart of the partnership is the proposed Sports Goods Testing and Development Laboratory in Jalandhar, one of the country's foremost manufacturing hubs for sporting equipment. Additionally, the collaboration will roll-out Footwear and Accessories Testing Sample Collection Centres across Punjab, enabling micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to access professional quality-assurance services closer to their production units, the Industries Minister added. Aman Arora said that the MoU also envisions a Centre of Excellence and a robust skilling framework that brings together industry, academic institutions, startups and technical experts. Tailored training programmes will focus on emerging areas such as design, product development, quality assurance, retail and fashion accessories.
The partnership will foster entrepreneurship development, startup incubation, research collaborations and faculty-expert exchanges to steering Punjab's industrial base toward higher-value, innovation-driven manufacturing, while bridging gaps in testing infrastructure, skilled manpower and market readiness that have long held back the state's traditional industrial clusters, he added. |
