Coimbatore, Feb 25 (KNN) The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) will set up the country’s first ‘common facility centre’ (CFC) for gold jewellery in the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

Being set up in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry under ‘Ratna Abhushan Suvidha Kendra Project', the centre will bring technologically advanced facility in the city and facilitate the manufacturers in the jewellery sector in bridging the skill gap, said B Sabarinath, President of Coimbatore Jewellery Association (CJA) while speaking with KNN India.

Lack of technologically advanced facilities is the biggest challenge faced by small and medium manufactures dealing in Jewellery here and thus this initiative would boost technological and social transformation of workers and small manufacturers, he added.

He said that with updated and advance technology, we will be able to compete with Bombay and Kolkatta markets.

Besides, he stated “We asked for training institutes in the city as machineries alone are not enough for bridging the technological gap. We need institutes to train people with the updated technologies.”

Addressing the foundation laying ceremony via video conference, Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu said “The objective of setting up CFC is to provide the artisans and kaarigars in the gem &jewellery industry with easy access to a state-of-the-art capital intensive and technologically advanced facility.”

He said that this will help the country in its quest to become the ‘Jeweller to the World’ and achieve the aim of increasing gem & jewellery exports to US$ 75 billion.

GJEPC Chairman, Pramod Kumar Agrawal said, “It has been constant endeavour of GJEPC to provide gem & jewellery exporters with the best possible infrastructure and modern facilities.”

He said that the new CFC would support small and medium manufacturers, helping them in upgradation of both quality and quantity, enhancing competitiveness and exposing young artisans as well as existing operators to trends in global markets.

It will enable us to showcase the wealth of our handcrafted jewellery & design capital to the world, Agrawal added. (KNN/YV)