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Journalism of Courage
SURAT, April 28: The demand to shift the import/export facility from the Diamond and Gem Development Corporation8217;s diamond park, Sachin, to the heart of the city is gathering momentum.
Though the facility has been available for quite some time, few diamond merchants patronise it; most merchants prefer going through Mumbai, where they have their marketing offices.
They warned that unless the facility was moved to the city, the Centre could well withdraw it on the grounds of insufficient business. GJEPC and SDA representatives said they would make a strong representation to the Central government in this regard.
Incidentally, ever since extortion and shootouts reared their heads in Mumbai 8212; for all export/import purposes the virtual headquarters of the trade 8212; industrialists had made a strong case for the transfer of their marketing base to Surat, which accounts for a major chunk of the diamonds cut and polished in the world.
The GJEPC and SDA have already submitted a scheme for the creation of a diamond zone, including a housing colony for diamond workers, to the Surat Urban Development Authority and the State government. They say they need no money from the government, only a cheap plot of land. Both agencies have vowed to take up the matter with the State government at the earliest.
The SDA is planning to organise a seminar sometime in the last week of May to help small industrialists understand the export market better and focus on creation of facilities. Experts in the fields of Income Tax and Sales Tax will also attend the seminar and guide industrialists on their problems.
