The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) hosted a seminar in Jogeshwari, Mumbai on Sunday, August 18, to create awareness among artisans and small jewellers in the MSME segment about the opportunities for exports, the various government schemes and GJEPC projects that exist for them.

The meeting was supported by Mumbai Suvarnakar Sangh, Jogeshwari Suvarnakar Sangh and Jogeshwari Daivdnya Samaj and attended by a large number of artisans and small jewellers from the western suburban area of the city.

Two keynote addresses were delivered by Ajit Shah, Export-Import expert and motivational speaker and Mithilesh Pandey of GJEPC. The former spoke about the potential to grow one’s business by venturing into the export markets and discussed in detail issues such as the procedures to be followed in export /import trade, required documentation, GST, taxation and various other relevant topics pertaining to industry.

Mithilesh Pandey gave a detailed presentation covering an introduction to GJEPC, government schemes such as Interest Subvention, Lean Manufacturing Competitiveness, Financial Assistance for participation in exhibitions held in the country and abroad, and the assistance provided by the Government through NSIC, under various MSME ministries, etc. He elaborated on the Prime Minister Employment Generation Yojana and its benefits for small artisans and companies with loans being available under the Kishor, Yuva and Tarun schemes for amounts ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh.

Pandey also spoke at length about the advantages of being a member of the GJEPC and the initiatives taken up by it such as Cluster Development, Common Facility Centers, Parichay Card etc and highlighted the recent launch of a GJEPC Call Center, Mobile App, etc.

Naren Kotak of Edelweiss spoke about the Swasthya Ratna health insurance scheme which is managed by their company and a representative of Godrej, which manufactures safes, also addressed the gathering.