Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon. Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, today officially launched the Domestic Council for Gems & Jewellery, a new apex body for the sector. He also announced that the new council would plan to be fully operational with an elected body by May 1, 2019, which has a significance both as Labour Day and Maharashtra Day.

The historic launch event took place in the presence of Smt. Rupa Dutta, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Senthil Nathan S, Dy Secretary, MOC, Shri Pramod Kumar Agrawal (Convener, National Ad-Hoc Committee, Domestic Council for Gems & Jewellery and Chairman - Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council) and all the 14 representatives of different trade bodies that constitute the recently formed Ad-hoc committee of the new Council.

As reported earlier, the Ad-hoc Committee comprises representatives of following associations: All India Gems & Jewellery Domestic Council, Mumbai; Association of Gold Refineries and Mints (AGRM), Cochin; Bangiya Swarna Shilpi Samiti, Kolkata; Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB), Mumbai; Bhartiya Swarnkar Sangh, Jaipur; Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), Mumbai; Imitation Jewellery Manufacturers Association (IJMA), Mumbai; India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), Mumbai; India Jewellers Forum (IJF), Amritsar; Karnataka Jewellers Federation, Bangalore; Odisha Jewellers Association, Cuttack; Rajkot Gems & Jewellery Association, Rajkot; Tamil Nadu Jewellers Federation (TNJF), Chennai and Uttar Pradesh Sarafa Association, Kanpur.

Speaking about the significance of the launch, the minister said that the tremendous potential of the sector could be unlocked by introducing new ideas, new technologies and an organised structure to the sector and integrating these with the affinity for gold and gold jewellery that has been an important part of Indian culture for centuries.

“The export industry which caters to the global market already has a turnover of US$ 42 billion, and the domestic market is estimated to be even bigger. Efforts to develop both these markets in an integrated manner will not only provide a massive boost to the economy, but will also create at least a few million additional jobs within the next few years,” he stated.

While stressing that the Council was a representative body of every segment of the mammoth industry, Shri Prabhu said that the Ministry of Commerce would extend complete support in facilitating its work.

This would include an emphasis on Skill Development so as to take the highly talented artisan community into the era of modern technology. Alongside, the government would also stress the need to develop quality, purity and other standards that are on par with international norms, Shri Prabhu added.

“The launch of the Domestic Council for gems & jewellery is a significant step and one amongst a series of several structured reforms undertaken by our Government to make the industry more organised and unified. We have followed a democratic process and given representation to the key jeweller, manufacturer, miner and artisan/ craftsmen associations from different geographies and industry segments,” the minister concluded.

Senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said, “The launch of the Domestic Council is the culmination of decades of planning right from the days of the submission of the Sivaraman Report to the recent Niti Aayog report. A fairly represented Domestic Council can help jewellers and craftsmen/artisans to represent the key issues & demands to the Ministry in a structured manner.”

Earlier in his introductory remarks, Shri Pramod Kumar Agrawal (Convener, Ad-Hoc Committee, Domestic Council and Chairman - GJEPC), said, “We welcome the Government’s decision to form Domestic Council for the Indian gems & jewellery sector. This will help to organise our unorganised and small scale based domestic jewellery industry and help it to scale new heights. As envisaged by the Union Minister, my efforts as the Convener will be to seek consensus in opinion to make this Domestic Council a national body which belongs to all and works to fulfil the aspirations of all small and big associations from across the country. GJEPC is happy to offer all support and guidance in the formation of an inclusive, democratic and self-sustainable Council. It is important for the industry to have one voice, one body. Domestic Council will help create 3 million more jobs and new artisans/ craftsmen in the business.”

The concept of a Domestic Council for the gem and jewellery industry was first mooted in 2005-06 by the Sivaraman Committee which submitted its report to the Union Finance Ministry. The responsibility was eventually given to Union Commerce & Industry Ministry and then the DIPP. In 2017, Prime Minister said that gems & jewellery was a good example of Make in India and wanted jewellers to come up with a strategy for increasing India's share of the hand-made jewellery market in a global market. In February 2018, the Niti Aayog panel, in its report on the need for a comprehensive gold policy, had also proposed setting up of dedicated domestic council for the gems & jewellery sector. And finally, now the Council has been launched.

Officials of the ministry said that the task ahead of the Ad-hoc committee comprises the framing the constitution of the Domestic Council as well as its Election Rules and other activities. In a statement, the Ministry said that GJEPC would provide all the secretarial support in this regard for the incorporation of the Council. All the drafting of the constitutional documents as well as the Election Rules of the Domestic Council would be completed shortly.

The Core Committee comprises the following members: Chairman-Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council; Chairman-All India Gems & Jewellery Domestic Council; Chairman-Indian Bullion and Jewellers’ Association Ltd.; Chairman-Bhartiya Swarnkar Sangh, Jaipur; and Chairman-Association of Gold Refineries and Mints, Cochin. The Domestic Council is an inclusive body and would move ahead with the support of all members of this fraternity.

New organisations could be co-opted into the Ad-hoc Committee, going forward, they stated.

Pic caption: Shri Suresh Prabhu (Hon. Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Aviation) launches the Domestic Council for Gems and Jewellery in the presence of (from l) Shri Sanjay Kaka Patil (MP), Shri Dulichand Karel, (Chairman-Bhartiya Swarnkar Sangh, Jaipur), Shri Mohit Bharatiya (IBJA), Shri Rajesh Khosla (Chairman-Association of Gold Refineries and Mints, Cochin), Shri Pramod Kumar Agrawal (Chairman-Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council) and Smt. Rupa Dutta (Economic Adviser, Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry)