Kolkata: In a bid so as to add worth to gold merchandise in West Bengal’s markets, craftsmen want coaching within the newest know-how to supply higher designs, stated Vandana Yadav, Principal Secretary, Department of Industry, Commerce & Enterprises, Government of West Bengal.

She was talking on the “5th Gems & Jewellery Summit 2023” organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce. Commenting on the event of the West Bengal gold market, Vandana Yadav stated: “West Bengal has a very long history and involvement with this industry. We have talked about exports of diamonds, gold, and other commodities, but we must also consider the future today. The enormous amount of gold that we import needs to be given additional value before being converted to dollars.

“I think this is where the Bengali craftsmen’s handcrafted excellence stands, and it might be its USP, particularly given that gold is a lifestyle item and everyone wants a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted piece.”

She added: “We seldom ever have the capacity to offer that. We may thus educate our craftsmen about the latest technology, enhance their working environments, and produce better designs. A training programme in Ankurhati would be something we are extremely interested in organising, apart from hallmarking facilities, any sort of standardisation or any kind of certification agency can be put up. During the last three years, I have discussed the training curriculum with several municipalities. I sincerely hope E-Council would take this up because we have an entire training facility.”

Commenting on the side of talent improvement, Rajeev Garg, CEO, Gem & Jewellery Skill Council of India (GJSCI), stated: “With the Ankurhati Association, we have been discussing the opening of our own training facility in Kolkata. Yet, this sector needs to emerge. It is time for every sector to step up and create its own infrastructure. In an effort to employ artificial intelligence in the gem and jewellery sectors, we are collaborating with IIT Bombay on a project. On the other side, IIT Chennai is working on lab-grown diamonds since eventually, the market for natural diamonds would be replaced by these lab-grown diamonds. We ought to discuss issues like these openly.”