State-Level Sarafa Mahasammelan to be Organised in Bilaspur on June 28; Around 5,000 Traders and Representatives Expected
Bilaspur : The Chhattisgarh Sarafa Association has completed two successful years under the leadership of State President Kamal Soni, achieving significant milestones in strengthening the jewellery trade community, protecting traders’ interests, expanding the organisation, improving security coordination, promoting awareness and supporting business development across the state.
The association has worked towards bringing small and large jewellery traders of Chhattisgarh onto a common platform. With the completion of two years, the organisation has announced a renewed vision for its third year, focusing on further expansion, trader security and industry growth.
A state-level press conference was organised at the Bilaspur Press Club, where a special photo exhibition showcasing the association’s two-year journey was presented. The exhibition highlighted major initiatives including the Sarafa Jan-Samvad Campaign, organisational expansion, Gems & Jewellery Park initiative, Operation Gold, BIS Hallmark awareness drives and other activities.
Bilaspur to Host Third General Meeting and Sarafa Mahasammelan
The State-Level Sarafa Mahasammelan and Third General Meeting will be held on June 28, 2026 (Sunday) from 10 AM at Ramdev Lawn, near 36 Mall, Mangla, Bilaspur.
The event is expected to witness participation from around 5,000 sarafa traders, representatives and office bearers from across Chhattisgarh.
Earlier, the association had successfully organised its general meetings in Jagdalpur and Janjgir, and this year Bilaspur has been selected as the host city.
Organisational Expansion: A Major Achievement
State President Kamal Soni informed that in January 2024, the association had around 60 active units across the state. Through a continuous expansion campaign, the number increased to more than 91 units by June 2024, and currently more than 125 units are connected with the organisation.
He said the association has set a target of establishing 251 units across Chhattisgarh to ensure every jewellery trader gets representation and support.
Regular meetings, divisional-level coordination, appointments of representatives and direct communication programmes are being conducted to strengthen unity among traders.
Focus on Security and Consumer Awareness
During the last two years, the association conducted several awareness programmes, including BIS hallmark awareness campaigns, training workshops and trader-consumer interaction programmes.
Kamal Soni appealed to customers to purchase only BIS Hallmarked jewellery and maintain trust in reliable local jewellers.
‘Operation Gold’: A Model of Police-Trader Coordination
The association highlighted ‘Operation Gold’ as a successful example of coordination between police and jewellery traders.
Following a robbery incident in the Sarkanda area of Bilaspur, police teams acted swiftly and arrested the accused within 24 hours, creating confidence among traders.
The association expressed gratitude and honoured IG Ram Gopal Garg, SSP Rajnesh Singh, Additional SP Pankaj Patel, CSP Nimitesh Singh and the entire police team for their contribution towards strengthening security.
Gems & Jewellery Park: A Historic Step for the Industry
One of the key achievements during the two-year tenure has been progress towards establishing a Gems & Jewellery Park in Raipur. The project is expected to provide a major boost to Chhattisgarh’s jewellery sector by creating modern infrastructure, offices and business facilities. The state’s gems and jewellery park project has also seen recent development activity under the PPP model.
The association believes the park will help Chhattisgarh emerge as an important jewellery hub and create new opportunities for traders, artisans and related industries.
Social and Cultural Participation
Along with business development, the association has actively participated in social, cultural and community welfare initiatives. It has supported various programmes aimed at strengthening social responsibility.
Simplification of BNS Section 317 to be Raised
The upcoming Sarafa Mahasammelan will also discuss the issue of simplification of Section 317 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The association said traders are facing practical and legal difficulties due to the provision and will request the government to frame clear, simple and practical guidelines.
Future Roadmap
The organisation’s future goals include:
- Expansion up to 251 units across the state
- Strengthening safety measures for jewellery traders
- Establishment of Gems & Jewellery Park
- Development of modern trade facilities
- Formation of a Swarnakala Board
- Providing a stronger platform for every trader
State President Kamal Soni said:
“The last two years have been full of achievements. The organisation has given traders a stronger identity and unity. The third year will focus on bigger goals and create a new benchmark for the sarafa community.”
Preparations for Mahasammelan in Final Phase
Preparations for the state-level conference are in the final stage under the leadership of Kamal Soni.
Office bearers including State Secretary Prakash Golchha, Treasurer Harshvardhan Jain, Executive Presidents Sanjay Kanuga, Uttamchand Bhandari, Pawan Agrawal, Raju Duggar, Rajesh Soni, Organisation Minister Sunil Soni, Media In-charge Alok Soni and district-level representatives are actively working for the success of the event.
The organising committee includes Pankaj Karaikh, Rajesh Shah, Ajay Saraf, Pramod Verma, Navnath Awale, Suraj Soni, Shashank Swarnkar, Raju Parekh and Sajjan Soni, who are handling various responsibilities.
Representatives from Bilaspur Sarafa Association, Bilaspur Silver Wholesale Sarafa Association and other district associations are contributing significantly to make the event successful.
The press conference was attended by **Kalyan Soni, Shrikant Pandey, Pramod Verma, Sajjan Soni, Navnath Awale, Ajay Saraf and several jewellery traders.**
