KVIC to turn 100 leather artisans of Delhi into 'leather doctors'

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday termed leather artisans 'charm chikitsak' (leather doctors) and said the body aims at distributing at least 10,000 modern tool kits among them by the end of this year.

Addressing the inaugural session of a programme to train 100 leather artisans of Delhi, he said, under the Leather Artisans Development scheme small-time shoemakers would be given proper training and then equipped with modern tool kits each worth Rs 5,000 needed to "cure and beautify shoes".

"The Leather Artisans Development scheme has been launched after the overwhelming success of Kumhar Sashaktikaran Scheme, Saxena said.

"We hope to distribute at least 10,000 such kits among our 'charm-chikistak' by the end of this year. It will increase their income manyfold," he was quoted as saying in a statement.

The KVIC chairman said that earlier this months, 50 artisans from Rajasthan's Sirohi district, one of the aspirational districts identified by the Neeti Aayog, had been given training with the shoe tool kits.

Ramsevak (60), one of the artisans present at the training programme, said, "We are getting a sense of recognition and security with this encouraging address of the KVIC Chairman.