By IANS,
Surat : Two diamond industry associations in Gujarat Tuesday came forward with Rs.10-million (Rs.1 crore) education assistance for the children of jobless diamond workers in the state.
The Surat Diamond Association (SDA) said it would spend Rs.7.5 million for nearly 16,500 students in 140 schools in Surat.
“The relief amount would benefit a total of 16,494 children in Surat schools. We have already informed the principals of various schools here that the amount would be directly deposited in schools tomorrow (Wednesday),” SDA secretary Prabhudas Patel told IANS.
The other industry body, Ahmedabad Diamond Association (ADA), has said it will spend Rs 2.5 million for funding education of jobless workers’ children across the state.
The relief amount would be deposited with the Gems and Jewellery National Relief Foundation (GJNRF) – the corporate responsibility wing of the Gems and Jewellery Trade Association.
“It is heartening to note that the entire gems and jewellery industry in the country is coming forward to provide relief to the jobless workers in Gujarat,” GJNRF chairman Ketan Parikh said.
Earlier, the Gems and Jewellery Export Council had earmarked a relief amount of Rs.20 million for the jobless diamond workers in the state.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi Feb 28 announced a skill enhancement training and aid package for the slowdown-hit diamond workers.
Under the package, unemployed diamond workers from Surat, Ahmedabad and Bhavnagar will get a stipend of Rs.100 per day during their training period.
Nearly 50 percent of the 400,000 workers in Surat’s diamond cutting and polishing industry have already lost their jobs due to the global slowdown.