GJEPC holds Parichay Card drive in Udupi, all India total nears 60,000

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Mar 9, 2023

The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council registered 750 workers for its Parichay Card at a drive in Udupi in Karnataka. This takes its total Parichay Card membership to around 60,000 workers. 

The GJEPC conducted meetings with representatives of the Udupi District Gold and Silver Workers Association to promote its Parichay Card, the GJEPC reported on its website. The GJEPC launched the Parichay Card initiative to provide social security benefits to unattached jewellery sector workers.
 
“The GJEPC's decision to register 750 workers in Udupi under the Parichay card is a significant step towards ensuring the welfare of the workers in the jewellery manufacturing hub,” said GJEPC chairman Vipul Shah, the GJEPC reported on its website. “It is important to note that the gems and jewellery industry employs a large number of workers in the unorganised sector, who often do not have access to social security benefits. So far, Parichay card for Swasthya Kosh has covered more than 80,000 lives under the health insurance scheme.”

The GJEPC raises funds to put towards the premiums of the free health insurance it offers Parichay Card holders through its Swasthya Kosh fund. The GJEPC is targeting a fun of over Rs 200 crore to provide support to 20 lakh workers. 
 
“GJEPC's unique initiative of launching the Parichay card aims to ensure proper authentication of gem and jewellery workers for social security purposes, and to provide various benefits to karigars,” said GJEPC MSME sub-committee convener Naresh Lathiya. “This will also give them an authentic and credible identification of belonging to the industry. It is a proud moment for us that honourable Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman will be personally distributing Parichay cards to karigars, and her personal involvement will only hasten our process to complete the distribution of Parichay cards to all karigars throughout the country.”