Manthan 2018 – the Gems & Jewellery Conclave organized by the All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council – was inaugurated by former Cabinet Minister and national spokesperson of the BJP, Shahnawaz Hussain here today.
Describing the Gems & Jewellery Industry as Gems in the Indian Economy, Hussain – in a speech laced with witticisms and advice that had the gathering in splits — said technology is changing industry globally and the Indian industry should be in the forefront to highlight it. However, credibility is a huge responsibility and GJC’s credibility and trust needs to be increased to attract people to its doorstep, he said in an indirect comment to a jeweler who had fled India after a financial scam.
“There is a difference between Democracy and Dictatorship. You have to ‘drink’ our Government’s decisions like ‘Nilkant’ as, the Government’s refrain is Sabka Ka Saath, Sabka Ka Vikas and I add Aap ka Saath, Desh Ka Vikas because you are contributing to a society and country which is on the path to development,” he added.
Noting that this Conclave would usher in a new phase of evolution for Indian jewelers, Nitin Kandelwal, Chairman, GJC, said that Manthan 2018 highlighted the launch of the GJC’s vision 2025 programme for India’s indigenous gems & jewellery sector, which is a sterling example of Make In India by contributing around 7% of the country’s GDP, while also ensuring jobs to over 46 lakh people – thus making a significant contribution to the country’s socio-economic framework.
“I thank the Government for discussing and solving our problems. We need to get 100% organized as we did during the FTA, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Excise problems. Our Industry is a 5,000-years-old trade where even after Ravana fled to Lanka with Sita, Hanuman had to show her — as proof of his friendship — Ram’s ring, maybe with an Aadhar card,” he said in a lighter vein about the Industry.
Describing the gems and jewellery industry as good for even the illiterate to become educated, he said this sector had the highest rate of employment, besides over one crore people directly involved, five crore dependent and around 40%women being employed within it. “India was once called the Golden Bird because of its gold industry and today the GJC’s reach has spread to over 500 districts in 28 states with six regional offices,” he said while detailing the Vision 2025 through ongoing B2B and B2C programmes, alongside focus on National Jewellery Awards, GJ Fashion Night, working with Government towards Skills Development and even planning taking 100 members to USA to learn about related business.
Ashok Minawala, Past Chairman of the GJC, said the Council had been working with the Government, but events occurring over the past few months had shaken the industry considerably with jewellery sales being affected. “The price of the deeds of a few black sheep affects us. Give us time to heal from these tragedies and trauma. Scams are opening up, and whenever one of us defaults, it affects all of us but the industry is learning from them and needs to become more dedicated. We need to invent new ways to survive today, while restoring and restructuring the image of our industry and wiping out the tarnish in building customer confidence,” he said, adding “In a crisis, the best opportunity emerges. But the fake and notorious will ultimately drown.”.
Urging for honing the industry’s designing skills, Minawala also reiterated the industry’s resolve to take care of their artisans — who have restored and kept alive the 5,000-year-old trade – by providing them a better working environment and revenue.
The GJC represents over 4,00,000 industry players including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, distributors, laboratories, gemmologists, designers and allied services to the gems & jewellery industry, which is a hand-crafted and labour intensive with an over one crore strong labour force directly and indirectly engaged in its domestic sector.
