Amit Chavda Calls for Financial Relief Package for Gujarat’s Diamond Artisans

Surat : Amit Chavda, the leader of the Congress party in the Gujarat Assembly, has made a fervent appeal to the Gujarat Government, urging them to announce a comprehensive financial relief package for the diamond artisans in Surat and other diamond cutting and polishing centers in the state.

This plea comes in the wake of a severe financial crisis gripping the diamond industry due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, compounded by the G7 countries imposing a blanket ban on the entry of Russian-origin diamonds from India into their markets.

Chavda’s impassioned call for assistance was made during a press conference in Surat on Saturday, where he was invited by the office-bearers of the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat (DWUG). At the conference, he reiterated the Congress party’s commitment to supporting the over 20 lakh diamond artisans in Gujarat, emphasizing the vital role that Surat and the state play as a leading global center for polishing precious diamonds.

The financial distress plaguing the diamond industry has reached such a critical point that in recent months, approximately 30 diamond artisans have tragically taken their own lives due to the immense economic pressure they are facing.

Amit Chavda outlined a series of demands aimed at alleviating the suffering of the affected diamond artisans. Firstly, he called for an immediate financial relief package to be provided to both jobless diamond artisans and the families of those who have committed suicide due to financial stress. He urged the government to expedite the implementation of the “Ratnadeep Yojana” for the welfare of diamond artisans in Gujarat.

Furthermore, Chavda recommended the establishment of a “Ratnakalakar Kalyan Board,” comprising representatives from the government, the diamond industry, and the diamond union. This board’s role would be to propose and execute various upliftment schemes for the benefit of diamond artisans in Gujarat.

Chavda also drew attention to the fact that many small and medium diamond units in Surat and across Gujarat have already declared early Diwali vacations, rendering hundreds of diamond artisans jobless right before the festive season. This year, thousands of diamond artisan families in Gujarat are expected to face difficulties celebrating festivals due to their ongoing financial crisis.

Expressing his dissatisfaction with the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), Chavda criticized them for collecting professional tax from diamond artisans. He asserted that this practice is in violation of labor laws as professional tax is meant to be paid by the diamond units, not the individual artisans. Chavda warned that if this practice is not immediately discontinued, the Congress party and the Diamond Workers Union would take to the streets in protest.

Amit Chavda was also critical of diamond companies that flout labor laws and evade registration under the Factory Act. He stressed the need for all diamond factories in Surat and elsewhere to be registered and operate within the bounds of legal trade practices to prevent large-scale financial irregularities.