Page 30 - Diamond Digest :: Jan.-Feb. 2021 Issue

Global News & Views.....
Government to boost G & J trade through E- Commerce
GJEPC represents to DPIIT, MOC & I for a revamped E- Commerce Policy to equip small players in the G&J sector 85% MSMEs spread across 390 Gem & Jewellery clusters to benefit from the Policy.
Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), in the past few years, has been actively pursuing projects and policies that could lead to a manifold increase in India’s outbound gem and jewellery trade.endra Modi’s vision of making the smallest of towns and villages active participants in the country’s export efforts, the Council undertook a Herculean data-driven approach to identify areas that are actively engaged in the manufacture of gems and jewellery. Taking the cue from PM’s vision, in 2019, the GJEPC commissioned the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) to evaluate these key industry characteristics, its competitiveness, and its employment potential.
The pioneering Cluster Mapping study has identified 390 districts as gem and jewellery clusters. It also provides crucial data on the region-specific specialisations in gem and jewellery categories, the skills and technology used, supply chains, and contribution to the economy. The Council is now focused on transforming each of these clusters into self-actualised export hubs.
Considering the exponential growth in online sales during the pandemic, GJEPC has been relentlessly pursuing for an e-Commerce policy with Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I), and officials across various Government departments. DPIIT under the leadership of Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, recently held a
meeting with GJEPC to review the progress on the policy and take the representation ahead.
Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC presenting the details of the policy said, “A revamped e-commerce policy will help thousands of manufacturers and lakhs of retailers across the 390 G & J clusters in India to utilise e-commerce platforms and reach out directly to overseas consumers. The exponential growth in online sales during the pandemic makes this all the more important and time-sensitive for our trade to benefit from this shift to digital platforms.”
“We are expecting a comprehensive e-commerce policy that will encompass ease in processes, hassle-free returns, seamless payments, speed of delivery, minimal cost, etc.” adds Shah.
The Department of Revenue has recently clarified through a notification dated 27th Nov 2020 that exports of gem and jewellery is permitted in Courier mode under the provisions of Courier import and exports (Clearance) Regulations 1998 and Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic Data & Processing) Regulations 2010.
The successful formulation of an e-commerce policy will herald the dawn of a new era for the Indian gem and jewellery industry. This move opens up a world of possibilities especially for MSMEs, as it will give them a level playing field to begin exports directly to global consumers.
The move reflects the GJEPC’s all-embracing and inclusive approach to push for progressive reforms that will help the industry achieve its long-term vision to become the epicentre for worldwide gems and jewellery needs. With a Central Government that is all geared up to facilitate e-commerce for the gem and jewellery industry, the sky’s the limit!
Kick start of pilot project of JADE
The Indian gems and jewellery industry recently witnessed the virtual launch of GJSCI’s Centre for J.A.D.E. (Jewellery Artificial Intelligence & Data Science Excellence) on 30th November, 2020. To give one an insight of the concept, J.A.D.E. is a Centre of Excellence (COE) of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that focuses on the use of AI for Indian gems and jewellery industry. GJSCI will be collaborating with various leading academic institutions and IT companies to bring the best of both the worlds to J.A.D.E. and hence to the industry members. IIT Mumbai and Persistent systems, Pune are GJSCI’s technological partners in J.A.D.E. This is the first-of-a-kind centre on AI, which will be working on the problems faced by manufacturing units, exporters, and retailers in the gems and jewellery industry. The key challenges in manufacturing like minimizing rejections, poor hit-ratio of designs (which is in single digit presently) and high-market returns will be tackled using the AI and data science techniques. This center will help find solutions for industry at large, and individual units as well.
1st February, 2021 was the kick start of the pilot project of JADE at Dia Trends Jewellery. This pilot project is being carried out in four leading jewellery manufacturing companies in Mumbai. A team of eight researchers from IIT Bombay is part of the pilot project to conduct the data audit and begin the data gathering process along with Core committee members of J.A.D.E.-GJSCI, the entire Dia Trends team and Mr. Sanjay Kothari, Chairman GJSCI. The support from various Industry Partners and GJSCI’s founder organizations viz. GJEPC, GJC, Jewellers Association, Jaipur & SGJMA have also been responsible for getting this far. Shortly, the similar data gathering activity would be conducted with Uni Design, KBS Creations & Jewelex (I) Pvt. Ltd. to complete the first phase of the pilot project on “Gold Jewellery Casting Defects Elimination using Artificial Intelligence.” This technological leap would indeed be a game changer for the Indian gems and jewellery industry.
30 • Diamond Digest • Jan. - Feb.- -22002211 30