Kolkata: The state government has come out with an Integrated Skill Development Policy, with infrastructure to train six lakh persons annually under the institutional and non-institutional mechanisms. "We have come up with an Integrated Skill Development Policy. Bengal is one of the rare states that has such an integrated skill development policy with infrastructure to train six lakh persons annually under the institutional and non-institutional mechanisms," said Purnendu Basu, minister in charge of Technical Education, Training & Skill Development department, at the 2nd ICC Gems & Jewellery Summit in Kolkata on Saturday. Basu said that the cluster development approach of the state government is aimed at enhancing productivity, competitiveness and capacity building of MSME. He maintained that the gold industry is slated to benefit significantly with a statutory body being formed for administration, examining and certifying technical, vocational courses in Bengal, along with skill development. "This will help the gold manufacturers become competitive and at par with the global standards," he added. Somasundaram PR, Managing Director, India, World Gold Council, said that the gold sector in India that had suffered a decline in demand last year, is set to gain from the coronavirus outbreak that has slumped demands hugely in China, the highest gold consumer in the world. Shaankar Sen, chairman, ICC National Expert Committee on Jewellery & Lifestyle, felt that to stabilise gold as an investment tool, the government needs to bring policy changes in terms of spot exchange, gold bank, skill development and so on. A knowledge report on the Gold Vision 2023 was also released during the event.

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