The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) today organised a Groundbreaking Ceremony for a Common Facility Centre (CFC) to be set up at Bow Bazar, Kolkata. The occasion was graced by Smt. Rupa Dutta, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I), Government of India (GoI); Shri Senthil Nathan, Deputy Secretary, MoC&I, GoI; Shri Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chairman, GJEPC; Shri Prakash Chandra Pincha, Regional Chairman, Kolkata, GJEPC, along with other luminaries.

The aim of setting up the CFC at Bow Bazar is to enhance the productivity and quality of products, especially those manufactured by the small gems and jewellery units in Bow Bazar and its surrounding areas.

The GJEPC, with the support of the MoC&I has already set up CFCs in Amreli, Palanpur, Visnagar and Junagadh in the state of Gujarat. The CFC at Bow Bazar is being set up by the GJEPC in association with the Swarna Shilpa Bachao Samiti (SSBC).

Smt. Rupa Dutta, speaking at the event, said, “The gems and jewellery industry has been an important contributor to the economy of the country. It also employs five million people. Our effort is to enhance the productivity and quality of products of our MSME units and make them contribute to exports. The concept of the Common Facility Centre is ideal where small units can get easy access to a capital-intensive facility which is beyond the investment capacity of individual jewellery manufacturing unit holders. I am sure that such initiatives will surely boost exports from the country.”

Shri Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chairman, GJEPC said, “India is a leading player in the global gem and jewellery market. To sustain its leadership, GJEPC has been facilitating the industry especially the MSMEs who are the backbone of the industry, with modern machines and tools at affordable prices at the Common Facility Centers. Currently, artisans are manufacturing jewellery on make to order basis for retail jewellers or wholesale manufacturers. They are using old technology to manufacture the jewellery. Usage of technology such as casting technology, finishing techniques such as tumbling, magnetic polisher etc. are found only in some of the units. Bench work is also carried out by using old techniques. Our effort is to give small and medium jewellery manufacturing unit holders access to a common platform where they could take the benefit of the equipment globally used in the jewellery industry, and thus improve their overall performance when it comes to manufacturing jewellery.”

Shri Prakash Chandra Pincha, GJEPC Regional Chairman, Kolkata said, “To remain competitive in the current world market, where modern technology is being used extensively, it is important we give our artisans and karigars access to modern machines and tools for manufacturing jewellery. At the CFC Bow Bazar, even the smallest units of artisans who don’t have any machine, can get their various manufacturing processes completed at a very nominal cost in a highly transparent manner which otherwise requires investment in costlier machines or unnecessary expenditure. The CFC at Bow Bazar will also be helpful to other nearby clusters as Bow Bazar is centrally located. This will help the small units to increase production and quality of products.” 

The skill and capabilities of Bengal artisans when it comes to jewellery manufacturing is well known. Kolkata is the national jewellery hub, known for making quality and high-class designs in handmade jewellery and the CFC will provide them with an opportunity to produce jewellery keeping their process losses minimised.  

The overall gems and jewellery exports from the country amounted to US$40 billion in 2018-19. GJEPC’s vision is to grow exports to US$75 billion in the next five years. It is expected that Kolkata will play an important role in achieving this target.

Pic Cap: Dignitaries on the dais at the Groundbreaking Ceremony