The Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India has announced the constitution of a Working Group for formation of a Domestic Council for the gem and jewellery sector in India.

In a recently issued notification, the department has said that the group will comprise the following office bearers of industry associations:

• Chairman, The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), Mumbai
• President, Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), Mumbai
• President, Association of Gold Refineries and Mints (AGRM), Cochin
• President, Imitation Jewellery Manufacturers Association (IJMA), Mumbai
• Chairman, Tamil Nadu Jewellers Federation, Chennai
• Chairman, Bangiya Swarna Shilpi Samity, Kolkata
• President, Bharat Diamond Bourse, Mumbai
• Chairman, Rajkot Gems & Jewellery Association, Rajkot
• Chairman, India Jewellers Forum, Amritsar
• Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Sarafa Association, Kanpur
• Chairman, Bhartiya Swarnakar Sangh, Jaipur
• Chairman, Odisha Jewellers Association, Cuttack
• Chairman, Karnataka Jewellers Federation, Bangalore
• Chairman, All India Gems & Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC)

The group will             prepare a database of all associations of the gem and jewellery sector, product-wise and region-wise, and also decide the eligibility criteria for an association to be included, besides working out other details.

In February this year, the Niti Aayog panel, in its report on the need for a comprehensive gold policy, had proposed setting up of dedicated domestic council for the industry.

The Working Group will be headed by Shri Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Joint Secretary, MoC&I, it was announced.