Centre's survey validates Tamil Nadu's potential in non-leather footwear sector: TRB Rajaa

CHENNAI: Taking pride in the Economic Survey 2025 of the Union government acknowledging the potential of TN in the non-leather footwear sector, State Industries Minister TRB Rajaa on Friday said that it’s a moment of immense pride for the State as the survey has recognised ‘our’ remarkable success in championing growth.

“TN's contribution to India’s footwear and leather output is unmatched, with the State producing 38% of the country’s footwear and leather products output, generating over 2 lakh jobs, and 80-90% of the jobs being generated in the non-leather footwear sector being women,” minister Rajaa said. The recognition showed that Tamil Nadu’s progressive policies ensure inclusive and distributed growth, he added.

Stating that the State has emerged as the go-to destination for global footwear manufacturing giants like Nike, Puma, Adidas and many more under the leadership of Chief Minister MK Stalin, the minister said, “Our focus on developing non-leather footwear hubs like Ranipet and Perambalur has ensured access to talent and created opportunities in regions that needed them the most. Efforts through Guidance Tamil Nadu have set benchmarks for investment facilitation and global outreach.”

“With initiatives like the dedicated Footwear and Leather Products Policy 2022 and advanced industry-academia collaboration through WorkLabs, we are building a comprehensive ecosystem that supports both large manufacturers and MSMEs. We will not rest on our laurels. We are encouraging our investors in the sector to bring more of their value chain," he said.