FDDI setting up centres of excellence at seven campuses: Official

The Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) is setting up seven centres of excellence at some of its campuses with an aim to develop new product designs and provide technical support to the industry, a senior government official said.

The institute comes under the aegis of the commerce and industry ministry.

FDDI Managing Director Arun Kumar Sinha said the work for setting up of these centres is going at a fast pace and "we are expecting that they would be operational by March next year".

These centres are coming up at Noida (centre for R&D, course development), Rohtak (centre for non-leather footwear) , Kolkata (centre for leather goods), Chennai and Hyderabad (centre for design), Patna (centre for leather finishing innovationand product retailing) and Jodhpur (specialised footwear).

These centres are being set up with a total outlay of about Rs 129 crore. FDDI has total 12 campuses in different parts of the country.

"The centres of excellence would act as a single point solution provider to the industry. New products will be designed and high end research will be conducted," Sinha told PTI.

FDDI was set up in 1986, under the aegis of the commerce ministry, with the objectives of developing human resources by imparting appropriate knowledge and skills to promote the growth of footwear and allied industry in the country. It provides education in footwear, fashion, leather products and retail.