Jewellery park ground breaking on Dec 19

State chief minister Narendra Modi will perform the bhumipujan of a gems & jewellery park being developed at Ichhapore on the Surat outskirts by Gujarat Hira Bourse (GHB) on December 19.

Giving details to mediapersons, GHB president Chandrakant Sanghvi said, "The jewellery park is a very important project for Surat's jewellery industry. Surat is one of the biggest diamond cutting and polishing centres in India and the world. The Indian diamond industry, however, accounts for less than 3 per cent of the global diamond market."

"This is mainly because we are lacking in value addition facilities and opportunities. The Ichhapore jewellery park will provide these facilities to the diamond industry," Sanghvi said.

Though the jewellery industry is literally non-existent in Surat, the city has the potential to become a major hub for the jewellery industry in the country," Sanghvi said.

"Other than chief minister Narendra Modi, former Union rural development minister Kashiram Rana, water resources minister Narottam Patel, energy minister Saurabh Dalal, industry minister Anil Patel, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Bakul Mehta and others will also be present on the occasion," he said.

GHB secretary Nanu Vanani, said, "The jewellery park will be a world-class project. It will change the face of Surat's jewellery industry. Jewellery manufactured in India is much cheaper, so naturally the local industry would attract several buyers. Surat ranks first in diamond polishing, and we have no doubt that it would achieve the top spot even in the jewellery industry."

On the opposition of local farmers towards the project, Vanani said, "The matter is sub-judice, and hence we are not in a position to say anything. We are, however, hopeful of getting good news in this regard in the next few days."

Vanani further said, "The diamond park that was developed in Sachin is totally different from the gem & jewellery park. The Sachin diamond park failed because it was not planned properly. The jewellery park here has been planned keeping in mind the requirements of the industry, and will be a world-class project."

The Ichhapore jewellery park will be spread over an area of 10 lakh sq mt. The Gujarat Hira Bourse has acquired this land from Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) for Rs 22.50 crore. GHB has already paid Rs 7.50 crore to GIDC, while the remaining Rs 15 crore would be paid soon.

The ambitious jewellery park project will be requiring big investments. The central government has agreed to provide a grant of Rs 50 crore under its Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS) for the project. The state government has also agreed to give a grant of Rs 15 crore for the project. The central government has also agreed to accord Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status to the Ichhapore jewellery park.

In addition to having a world-class infrastructure, the park will also have a training centre, convention centre, trading centre, research & development centre. GHB plans to complete the project within two years.

Around 400 gem & jewellery units will be set up in the jewellery park. More than 300 leading gem & jewellery firms have already booked plots and evinced interest in setting up their units in the park.