Diamond industry in Surat picks pace after losses

Surat, Feb 09 (ANI): The diamond industry in Surat has picked up steam after it witnessed a slump in business last year. More than 5,000 Surat polishers had lost their jobs since June 2015, as Chinese consumers pulled back luxury purchases, leaving jeweller with stocks of unsold jewellery and gems. However, Surat Diamond Association President Dinesh Navdiya said business was slowly picking up pace in the ‘Diamond city of the world’. He added that the return of workers has given a boost to the industry. Navdiya feared that the passage of Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill in the Parliament would have a negative impact on the industry.