Diamantaires demand int'l airport in Surat

Surat: On the golden jubilee of Gujarat's statehood, diamantaires in the world's largest diamond cutting and polishing centre in Surat have urged the central government to provide an international airport to facilitate direct global export and import of polished and rough diamonds from here.
Chandrakant Sanghavi, regional chairman of Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), said, "Surat is the power house of the glittering diamond trade in India. Despite being the world's largest diamond manufacturing centre, the city lacks international air connectivity. It is our humble request to the central government that on the occasion of Swarnim Gujarat celebrations to provide an international airport in Surat for direct import and export of rough and polished diamonds."
The GJEPC has also raised various other issues concerning gems and jewellery trade in Gujarat, especially in the diamond hub of Surat with the Union ministry of commerce.
GJEPC has raised other issues like giving adequate powers to diamond financing bank branches in Surat to take decisions regarding finance to the diamond sector, allowing consignment import of rough diamonds to ensure smooth flow of raw materials to lakhs of cutting and polishing artisans in Gujarat, supporting research and development and sourcing new technology to the diamond centres across the state, permitting consignment import of diamonds for testing and grading at Indian Diamond Institute (IDI), granting of SME status to all the small units up to 100 wheels, etc.
The industry is dependent on foreign countries for raw materials (rough diamonds). Rough diamonds, imported by traders pass through a few layers before reaching the cutting and polishing units.
01/05/10 Melvyn Thomas/Times of India

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Categories: Airports May 2010, New May 2010