Other States - Rajasthan   

‘India Stonemart’ concludes today

JAIPUR: The ongoing “India Stonemart-2009” here is focused on value addition and upgrading of technology in the stone industry, with various stakeholders affirming that the stone industry is growing and strengthening its business in 79 countries, including India, despite the current global recession. The four-day show ends today (Sunday).

Inaugurating the mega-expo on Thursday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said his Government would rationalise the policies for development of the stone sector and protect small and medium scale industries engaged in production, cutting, polishing and sale of dimensional stones. The exhibition, which has attracted thousands of participants including stone producers, importers, exporters, buyers, machinery manufacturers and experts in the field, has been organised in Sitapura Industrial Area here by the Centre for Development of Stones in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Mr. Gehlot pointed out that the turnover of the stone industry in Rajasthan was worth Rs.4,000 crore, while exports accounted for Rs.800 crore to 900 crore annually and approximately five lakh people were directly and indirectly employed in the sector. He said the stone mart, initiated in 2000, was helping in tremendous growth of the stone industry in Rajasthan and other States.

The Chief Minister said the desert State was producing 90 per cent of marble and sandstone and 68 per cent of the total dimensional stones in the country. He said his Government would strengthen the infrastructure at stone quarries and introduce dimensional stone courses in the industrial training institutes and polytechnics.

Mr. Gehlot said value addition in the stone sector would help attract more investments and capacity enhancement of the stakeholders would improve the quality of products.

Industries Minister Shanti Dhariwal noted that Stonemart-2009 – the fifth in the series – had 319 stalls of exhibitors against 264 in the first expo in 2000. He said this showed the popularity of the trade fair among the participants.

FICCI secretary-general Amit Mitra in his address said the stone sector should have a global benchmarking and explore new varieties in colour and texture besides evolving global connectivity in the trade and deepening the access to global market. Mr. Mitra called upon the Indian players in the stone industry to incorporate value addition to their products to earn profits rather than supplying raw stones to foreign buyers. He suggested that the stone sector be taken up as an academic subject in technical institutions. A 51-member delegation from Iran is taking part in the expo for the first time. Nearly 35,000 people from 51 countries are expected to visit the exhibition, while China and Turkey have put up special pavilions.

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