Guwahati, 24th of September, 2024 : North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited and Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) successfully formalized a partnership today through an MoU exchange held at the NEHHDC campus in Guwahati, to launch the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ), Guwahati Campus. This collaboration marks a significant step toward the implementation of the PM Vishwakarma (Goldsmith) initiative in the North East Region, focusing on the upliftment of artisans and entrepreneurs in the gems and jewellery sector.
Through this MoU, IIGJ (under the aegis of GJEPC) will bring its skilling and training expertise to North-East region. The collaboration will help implement the PM Vishwakarma (Goldsmith) initiative, offering specialized training and business development support to artisans and entrepreneurs.
In addition to the MoU exchange, several entrepreneurs and artisans from the jewellery sector were invited to participate in a discussion. They shared insights on the challenges they face and explored solutions for the upliftment of the jewellery sector in the region.
On this occasion, Dr. Sriparna B. Baruah, Advisor, NEHHDC, emphasized the importance of this collaboration in enabling the PM Vishwakarma (Goldsmith) initiative across the North East Region, fostering skill development and creating new opportunities for artisans.
Shri Debasish Biswas, CEO of the Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery (IIGJ), expressed his optimism that the partnership with NEHHDC will create a niche centre of IIGJ in the north-east region, offering industry-aligned skilling and training to local artisans and entrepreneurs, as well as industry associations, trade bodies and the next-generation aspiring jewellery professionals.
The event was attended by notable officials, including Shri Siddharth Himmatsinghka, COO, GJEPC, Shri Kaushik Ghosh, Regional Director, GJEPC Eastern Region, Shri Koushik SV, Head of IIGJ Udupi, Shri Lokesh Kumar Parganiha, Deputy Director and HoD, MSME-DFO, Guwahati, and Shri Palash Bhowmick, Chief Manager, NSIC. Additionally, Shri Santanu Deka and Shri Bhaskar Kakoty from the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) were present at the ceremony.
This MoU is set to create significant growth opportunities for the North East jewellery sector while preserving the rich cultural heritage of the region.
About NEHHDC:
NEHHDC is a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). It is dedicated to promoting and supporting artisans and weavers in the North East through initiatives that preserve cultural heritage and promote sustainable development. It has established a Jewellery and Handicrafts Livelihood Business Incubator under the ASPIRE scheme (A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries, and Entrepreneurship) of the MoMSME. This incubator aims to empower local artisans while fostering sustainable business practices in the jewellery and handicrafts industries.
About GJEPC:
The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) was set up by the Government of India in 1966 to promote the Indian gem and jewellery industry. GJEPC is committed to creating a vibrant ecosystem for the gems and jewellery sector, providing support through policy advocacy, skill development, and market expansion programs.
About IIGJ:
Founded in 1986, the Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (an initiative of Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council) has 5 campuses in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Varanasi and Udupi offering degrees, diplomas and professional certification programs, with 22,000 alumni members. The launch of the Guwahati campus marks the 6th entity for IIGJ in India. This campus will be focused on PM Vishwakarma and other short-term training programs.
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