Jewellery exporters seek permission to start diamond bourse, SEZ in Mumbai

The industry would like to commence operations at the earliest to avoid cancellation of pending orders

Gems and jewellery exporters have urged the government to grant them permission to start factories in the Santacruz Electronic Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) and to set up the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) in Mumbai, the backbone of India’s $40 billion jewellery exports.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in its revised guidelines for implementation of lockdown 3.0 for three weeks starting on May 4, had allowed private companies to start operations with 33 per cent manpower (barring containment zones).  This was subject to the condition that they maintained social distancing and frequently sanitised the factory premises, equipment and workers.