There is an urgent need to establish footwear clusters beyond major cities, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) Nitin Gadkari has said adding that the government may set up few of them at national highways.

He said this Gadkari on the sidelines of the award presentation ceremony of the 5th India International Footwear Fair.

In a statement, the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) said the MSME Minister has noted that with a huge potential of employment and exports, India's footwear sector is one of the "engines of growth" for the country's economy.

"There is an urgent need to diversify and set up footwear clusters beyond major cities. We may establish the same at national highways such as Delhi-Mumbai Highway may be ideal locations", Gadkari said while addressing an ITPO event here.

Gadkari said the government is focused on reduction of logistics, capital and power costs to provide the necessary impetus to the industry.

India is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for 13% of global footwear production of 16 billion pairs. India produces 2 billion pairs of different categories of footwear constituting almost equal percentage of leather and non-leather footwear.