A new XRF machine for advance metal testing recently installed at the Manikanchan SEZ in Kolkata was inaugurated last month by Shri B. K. Panda, Development Commissioner, FALTA & MK SEZ in the presence of officials from the SEZ, various government departments, Shri Pankaj Parekh, GJPEC Committee member and other exporters.

The metal analyser was installed as part of a new scheme put forward by the Department of Commerce, Government of India. Under this, The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) was required to sign Memorandum of Understanding with the Development Commissioners of Special Economic Zones where gems and jewellery units were functional to ensure operationalizing the advance metal assaying machine.

Under the scheme, the operator of the machines in each of the SEZs will be the link between the trade and the Customs appraiser attached to it, testing sample consignments and handing over the report along with the sample to the official. GJEPC was responsible for recruiting of trained operators, who will be directly under the concerned SEZ.

Under this initiative, MoUs have been signed with the Commissioners of the NOIDA SEZ, Sitapura SEZ in Jaipur and Manikanchan SEZ in Kolkata. While the former two already had a metal assaying system in place, a new one was recently installed at Manikanchan.