Mumbai, February 24 – A special skill development training program for the leather workers' community was organized at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Skill Development Centre in Mumbai's Kandivali (East), initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Piyush Goyal. The aim was to make traditional workers self-reliant through modern technical skills and to boost employment.
The program, designed to uplift underprivileged sections engaged in traditional occupations, provided hands-on training to 20 participants from January 27 to February 24.
Expert trainers Devendra Tiwari and Mithun Kumar Singh from the Central Footwear Training Institute, Agra, conducted the sessions. Participants were trained in manufacturing Derby boots, stitched footwear for men, and footwear for women, combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary production techniques.
Officials said the initiative seeks to generate sustainable employment opportunities and economically empower communities that have long depended on informal roadside work.
Mithun Kumar Rajput, a trainer associated with the institute, expressed gratitude for the program, stating that it marked an important step in introducing leather footwear technology training in Mumbai.
“Previously, our 20 trainees used to work as cobblers on the roadside. Now they are capable of independently making new shoes, sandals, and slippers. Compared to before, they will be able to earn four to six times more,” he said.
Beneficiaries also highlighted the transformative impact of the training. Ramchandra Ahire, a participant, said that prior to the program, many workers relied solely on footpath-based cobbling to sustain their families.
"As soon as we learned that a 25-day training center had been opened here, we decided to enroll. During the training, we were taught how to make new shoes and slippers," he said, adding that the new skills could significantly improve their income and working conditions.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to integrate traditional skills with modern industry requirements, enabling workers from marginalized backgrounds to transition from informal labour to more structured and profitable livelihoods.