IIGJ seeks land for hostel from Maha govt

The Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery (IIGJ), Mumbai has sought support from Maharashtra government to provide land for a students hostel on lines of the Rajasthan government's decision for IIGJ, Jaipur.
IIGJ chairman Vasant Mehta said they have sent a proposal to state government seeking land for a hostel as the institute is growing with students from neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh enrolling with it.
"The institute attracts foreign students from countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. We have sent a request for allocation of land to state government for construction of a hostel," Mehta said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said the government will consider look into the proposal of IIGJ when it receives it.
"As of now, we haven't received their request. But, when we do, we will certainly consider it," Fadnavis told PTI.
Mehta said the institute IIGJ Mumbai has trained 8,000 students over 11 years and has been engaging with Mumbai University to grant jewellery degree course accreditation.

He said while skill development is one of the key agendas of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, a hostel will not only help students and the institute to grow, but the entire gems and jewellery industry and skill development agenda of the Centre.

IIGJ has recently announced a three-year Graduate Program in Jewellery Design and Manufacturing Techniques with an introduction to Management studies in collaboration with Welingkar Institute of Management.
Meanwhile, Praveenshankar Pandya, chairman of GJEPC (Gem Jewellery Export Promotion Council) has said that the Union government and the industry collaborated to create IIGJ 12 years back and German courses were designed then and IIGJ became the best in the world.
"Now it is time to take it to next level and we need support from Maharashtra government to train top manufacturers who are already the best," he said.