The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) unveiled its Parichay Card scheme in West Bengal at a function on Friday, January 11, 2018 attended by Eastern Regional Chairman, Prakash Pincha and Convener MSME Committee, Manish Jivani.

The official, full-fledged national launch, at the hands of the Hon’ble Union Minister for Commerce & Industry is expected to take place towards the end of January, the Council stated.

GJEPC said it is also in talks with Union Ministry of Skill Development to classify G&J workers under Labour Management Information Systems (LMIS). This segment-wise classification will provide additional benefits under relevant MoSDE schemes.

The Parichay Card will work as a social security-cum-ID card for the workers, artisans and craftsmen of the industry, and has been initially introduced on a limited scale, prior to the national launch, only in West Bengal considering the vast number of artisans associated with the industry in the state.

The specially designed smart card will benefit those working in the gem & jewellery industry, irrespective of whether they are associated with any organisation or working independently, providing them with proper authentication for social security purposes, Council said.

The objective of the project is to create a verified and well-crafted database. It not only gives workers a valid proof of employment and identity, but also make them eligible for various initiatives. It is likely to be helpful in finding better job opportunities, seeking financial support from banks and financial institutions and enabling access to better healthcare services. The latter will be provided by allowing all Parichay Card holders to enrol in an optional health insurance cover ‘Swasthya Kosh’.

It may be recalled that in 2015, GJEPC had initiated a Group Mediclaim Scheme, ‘Swasthya Ratna’, to provide health insurance benefit to the entire work force of the industry as well as their family members. Under the scheme all GJEPC member companies can enroll employees and their families. Parichay Card holders would have to pay on 25% of the annual premium for as Rs 1,00,000 cover for themselves and their families, with the rest being borne by the specially created ‘Swashtya Kosh’ fund. This fund will be managed through a tie-up with GJNRF (The Gem and Jewellery National Relief Foundation), which will collect donations eligible for 80G tax benefits for the purpose. Edelweiss Insurance Brokers will be the official agency for both Swasthya Ratna and Swasthya Kosh.

A comprehensive health insurance policy. The premium for the policy is capped at Rs. 1400 for self-cover and R. 2200 for family-cover. With 75% of the premium being paid by GJEPC’s Swasthya Kosh, the discounted premiums are just Rs. 350 for self and Rs. 550 for family-cover.

Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chairman, GJEPC, said that the scheme is designed for the benefit and betterment of the lives of the karigars, artisans and the craftsmen of India. It is “a token of appreciation… with the intention to give back to these precious jewels of the industry”, he said.

Agrawal added, “The Swasthya Ratna Scheme received a phenomenal response and several GJEPC member companies have taken this policy for their workers and office staff. Currently it is in its third year of operations and till date it has covered more than 4 lakh lives. It motivated us to do more for the industry and hence we launched the Parichay Card.”

Prakash Chandra Pincha, Regional Chairman, GJEPC, also acknowledged the phenomenal contribution of the workforce and said that this initiative is “a token of appreciation and to support and nurture this talent… (which is) an integral part of the overall eco-system of gems and jewellery exports.”

Pic caption: Manish Jivani, Convener MSME Committee, GJEPC addresses the meeting. Also on dais (from l) Prakash Pincha, Eastern Regional Convener, Pankaj Kumar Parekh, former Vice Chairman GJEPC and Mithilesh Pandey, GJEPC