The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council or GJEPC and Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone or SEEPZ, Mumbai signed an MoU on December 7, 2022, defining their respective responsibilities in developing, executing, and running of the Mega Common Facility Centre or CFC at SEEPZ Mumbai.

The MoU for the execution and running of the Mega CFC was signed by Vipul Shah, Chairman, GJEPC and Shyam Jagannathan, Zonal Development Commissioner, SEEPZ, Mumbai in the presence of Kirit Bhansali, Vice Chairman, GJEPC; C.P. Singh Chauhan, Joint Development Commissioner, SEEPZ; Adil Kotwal, Member Working Group and SEZ Authority; Bobby Kothari and Neville Tata, Members of the SEZ Committee, GJEPC and Working Group, Mega CFC; and Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC.

Speaking on the occasion, Shah said, “The Mega CFC being the dream project of our Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, will go a long way in technologically transforming the industry.” Jagannathan stated, “I thank GJEPC for the assistance it is providing. GJEPC and SEEPZ, as partners, are translating a path-breaking project of the Mega CFC. I also thank everyone involved in this prestigious project for their efforts in reaching the objective.”

As agreed in the MoU, SEZ Authority shall be responsible for the construction of the proposed structure, building and interiors of the Mega CFC and hand it over to GJEPC for running of the Mega CFC. SEZ Authority will purchase the equipment, machinery, furniture and install the same at the Mega CFC. The fifth & sixth floors of the building may be furnished by GJEPC with voluntary Contribution of the Trade. Apart from that, as committed in the MoU, a working group has been formed with an objective to help the SEZ Authority implement the project efficiently on a time-bound manner to meet the targeted deadlines and achieve the objectives earmarked for the Mega CFC in transforming the trade technologically. The Working Group committee is headed by Colin Shah, Ex-Chairman, GJEPC, and the members of the committee nominated by the Council are Adil Kotwal, Neville Tata and Bobby Kothari.

The Mega CFC is one of the key projects initiated by the Department of Commerce, Government of India, with GJEPC as the nodal body for running of the project to enhance the capacity of the industry in manufacturing products utilising cutting-edge technology to provide and impart training and skilling facilities thereof to boost gems and jewellery exports from the country. The work of Mega CFC has been in full swing, and it is slated to be operational by May 1, 2023. The project is being taken from concept to creation at a cost of ?70.76 crores.