Confederation of Indian Footwear Industries (CIFI), Southern Region in association with Kerala State Small Industries Association (KSSIA), Kozhikode and Footwear Design & Development Center (FDDC) is organizing a Footwear Expo, Kerala 2019 on December 4th & 5th at Kozhikode.
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Footwear industry is on a growing path and continuing to be in focus and its significance is on a rising trend.
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(Minister of labour and employment, Govt. Of india)
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Shri Manohar Lal ( Haryana CM ).

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Chief Guest: SRI. GIRIRAJ SINGH, HON UNION MINISTER FOR STATE FOR MSME, GOVT OF INDIA

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Registration Form: Download

The India International Leather Fair at Chennai IILF from 1st to 3rd Feb, 2018 Inaugurated by Mr. Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry., Govt Of India.

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The meeting received an enthusiastic response with over 70 participants. A brief recount of the meeting is given:
The special invitees on the dais were:

• Shri M.Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman, CLE & President, CIFI

•  Shri K.T.Thomas, Chairman, South Zone CIFI

•  Shri Subash Kapoor, Vice Chairman, CLE

•  Shri P.R.Aqeel Ahmed, Regional Chairman (SR), CLE & President, SISMA

•  Shri R. Ramesh Kumar, IAS, ED, CLE

•  Shri K.R.Vijayan, President, ISF

•  Shri V.Noushad, Vice President, CIFI

•  Shri M.Irshad Ahmed, Chairman, TN Chapter, CIFI & Vice President, ISF

Ms. S.Surya Gayathri, ED-incharge, ISF helmed the programme and invited Shri K.T.Thomas, Senior Vice President, CIFI to offer the Welcome address.

Shri K T Thomas

Senior Vice President, CIFI

Shri K T Thomas, heartily welcomed all members present and stressed it was an important day as the National Meeting of CIFI was organized. He particularly appreciated the Industry members for the Cooperation and support to the CIFI from time to time. He made special mention about the guidance
and advice of Padmashri M.Rafeeque Ahmed, President, CIFI.

He welcomed Shri.K.R.Vijayan, President, Indian Shoe Federation and informed the gathering that ISF had been providing all the support to create awareness of CIFI activities among the Footwear Industry.
ISF office in Chennai is driving the desk activities of CIFI TN Chapter.

He also welcomed Shri. P R Aqeel Ahmed, Regional Chairman, South, Council for Leather Exports and Shri. R.Ramesh Kumar, IAS, Executive Director, CLE and hence said that CLE actively co-ordinates with
CIFI on daily basis to have a unified approach for the cause of the Footwear Industry.
In conclusion he hoped that some points that he had placed would trigger debate and introspection
which would ultimately help us “Stride Confidently” ahead.

Shri K R VIjayan

President, ISF

Shri K R VIjayan, President, ISF was invited to launch ISF’s Shoe Maker 2015, an exclusive member’s directory and the first copy was handed-over by Shri. R.Ramesh Kumar, IAS, ED, CLE to Shri. Subash Kapoor, Vice Chairman, CLE followed by the announcement of dates for Ambur Open 6 which is scheduled on June 13-14, 2015, and the first copy of the Opening Brochure of Ambur Open 6 was handed-over to Padmashri M.Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman, CLE & President, CIFI.

It was then the turn of the distinguished dignitaries gracing the occasion to offer their Special Remarks.

Shri V.Noushad

Vice-President, CIFI

Shri V.Noushad, Vice-President, CIFI was invited to deliver the Special Remarks. He thanked everyone for joining in this CIFI endeavour and also thanked all the key persons behind the successful promotion of the CIFI Chapters in the Southern States. He mentioned that due to the hard work and guidance of President, and Senior Vice President, CIFI, it has created network of organization structure and today
CIFI is working to address the concern of the Footwear Industry and taking ahead for the support of the State Governments, Government of India and various authorities concerned.

He intimated that the central excise duty on Footwear has been brought down from 12% to 6% on Footwear with MRP between Rs.500 and Rs.1000. CIFI has taken this with the Ministry of Finance and he thanked CLE for recommending this proposal to Government of India which benefits domestic footwear industry.

Shri Alok Jain

Member, CIFI

Shri Alok Jain, Member, CIFI was invited to deliver the Special Remarks.

In his speech he thanked everyone for organizing this National Meeting of CIFI and he requested the members and participants to join the CIFI family and strengthen it. He also took the opportunity to
THANK all the distinguished guests, invitees, Speakers and the participants.

Shri Abdul V Razak

Chairman, Kerala Chapter, CIFI

Shri Abdul V Razak, Chairman, Kerala Chapter, CIFI was invited to deliver the Speech.

He mentioned about the activities taken by the Kerala Chapter of CIFI, “Rising Kerala 2014”, event was a great success and was attended by State Ministers, Officials, district administration, CLE and other major associations and there were huge networking opportunities created through this event.

Shri P R Aqeel Ahmed

Regional Chairman (SR), CLE

Shri P R Aqeel Ahmed, Regional Chairman (SR), CLE was invited to deliver the Remarks.

He remarked that Footwear Industry has targeted to grow substantially in the next few years and India has to take advantage of the prospects and prepare itself to strengthen the capacities and infrastructure.

He also congratulated CIFI and initiated them to make activities for the growth of the domestic footwear industry.

Shri Subash Kapoor

Vice Chairman, CLE

Shri Subash Kapoor, Vice Chairman, CLE was invited to deliver the Remarks.

In his address he spoke about the threshold of expansion of footwear industry and the domestic market reportedly growing many-fold. Out of 2065 million pairs produced in the country only about 100
million pairs are being exported and the remaining is sustained for the domestic market. He told that
this explains the field situation that India’s domestic market is very significant.

He proceeded and appreciated CIFI for working tirelessly towards building the organization with office bearers and strengthening the network. He also mentioned that CLE is doing a good job of working in
tandem with CIFI, which resulted initiating unified actions and wished CIFI great success in their future
endeavours.

Shri R.Ramesh Kumar, IAS,

Executive Director, Council for Leather Exports

Shri R.Ramesh Kumar, IAS, Executive Director, Council for Leather Exports then delivered his remarks.

He welcomed all and he conveyed his warm congratulations on the National Meeting of CIFI’s under the leadership of Padmashri M.Rafeeque Ahmed, who in his opinion was a great asset and had taken the industry and country forward with his dynamism and zeal.

He remarked that with a view to concentrate on domestic sector in India, where the scope and growth is very large looking at the population base of over a billion captive customers. He pointed out that CLE has set up a “domestic industry cell” which would focus on vision, growth, challenges, issues and concerns of the domestic industry dealing in footwear and leather goods & accessories and will serve at a macro level as an interface between the domestic industry and Government and help the units in availing the various schemes of the Government.

He further told that domestic industry cell of CLE has been closely working with CIFI and AIFMRA and its participates in the domestic trade fairs held across the country and propagate the message that CLE
is for development and growth of both leather as well as non-leather footwear industry. He told that there was still a lot to learn in the Leather Business and conveyed his respects to Padmashri M Rafeeque Ahmed for his vast Knowledge about the Business and guidance for everything.

Shri M.Rafeeque Ahmed

Chairman Council for Leather Exports & President, CIFI

Shri M.Rafeeque Ahmed, Chairman Council for Leather Exports & President, CIFI was then invited to present his valuable presidential address.

Shri M Rafeeque Ahmed remarked about the challenges facing the Chinese entrepreneurs in this Industry and emphasized that India should develop the urge for the development of domestic markets and to explain about this platform to the government and educate them on its market size. He conveyed that our GDP rate was low and the Government was working hard to increase it, which would increase the base of manufacturing.

He initiated about the “Make in India” program of the Government of India, which is an opportunity for the footwear industry and it is our expectation inviting investors to invest in India for setting-up the manufacturing plant either on their own or in collaboration with existing Indian entrepreneurs.
He concluded that in this regard CIFI had a good platform and should gear itself to make use of these
opportunities.

Shri Irshad Mecca

Chairman TN Chapter, CIFI & Vice President, Indian Shoe Federation6

Shri M.Irshad Ahmed, Chairman TN Chapter, CIFI & Vice President, Indian Shoe Federation then delivered the Vote of Thanks.

He welcomed all and recalled that during IILF 2013, there was a discussion for the formation of CIFI and within a year CIFI had become a full-fledged association. He applauded Shri.V. Noushad, MD, VKC Group & Vice President, CIFI for his continuous success in promoting his brand of VKC and his initiatives and interests for the promotion of CIFI. He requested the members and participants to join the CIFI family and strengthen it. He also took the opportunity to THANK all the distinguished guests, invitees, Speakers and the participants.

The Meeting thus concluded with Tea.

CIFI was launched on 01.February.2014, which was a grand function at Chennai. A large number of participants from the industry as well as representatives of regulatory authorities attended the programme.

Lunch meeting with Chinese footwear delegation from guangdong footwear association, organised by CIFI on 17-11-2014 at Hotel radisson blu New delhi.