The Central Government has sanctioned Rs. 16 crore for the setting up of common facility centres (CFCs) in Ahmedabad, Amreli, Visnagar and Palanpur to allow small and medium diamond manufacturers to make use of state-of-the-art technology to increase their productivity, says a report. The work on setting up the CFCs is expected to be completed by 2016.

Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) and Indian Diamond Institute (IDI) had prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for setting up CFCs at 13 places, including in Surat, Navsari, Ahmedabad, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Visnagar, Junagadh, Jasdan and Deesa, in Gujarat.

Of all, eight centres are to be set up in Gujarat, while five in other parts of the country. The names of the places where the other four CFCs will come in Gujarat would be announced later. The government has for now approved fund for the setting up four centres, while the remaining Rs. 34 crore will be allocated in the Phase II of the project under the 12th Five Year plan, adds a report.

The report further states that with the CFCs, small and medium manufacturers in these small centres will be able to directly compete with the big manufacturers in Surat with the use of modern technologies.