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VISAKHAPATNAM, May 12

THE gems and jewellery complex in the Visakhapatnam special economic zone is ready for inauguration and the entrepreneurs in the field should take full advantage of the facilities offered here and set up units.

At a promotional meet organised here by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Ms K. Ratnaprabha, Development Commissioner, said at present three units were functioning in the zone providing employment to 1,200 workers and they were doing well.

"This sector has remained untouched by all the international developments and has registered steady growth. The future is rosy and entrepreneurs should cash in on it,'' she said, and enumerated all the incentives being offered by the Government and the special advantages of the zone.

Ms Ratnaprabha said she had requested the State Government to introduce a short-term course (three months) in diamond cutting and polishing in the local ITI (industrial training institute) and the State Government had accepted the proposal. The course would be introduced from this academic year.

Mr Mahesh Rao, a member of the council, said gems and jewellery exports from India accounted for as much as 18 per cent of the total exports, but there was still huge untapped potential.

A study by A.F. Ferguson predicted that exports from India in the sector could rise to $16.05 billion by 2010-11, with diamond exports accounting for $10.7-billion and jewellery $4.5 billion. "In fact, we feel it is a conservative estimate,'' he said.

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