Bilaspur to Get Gems & Jewellery Park; Important Discussion Held on Formation of Swarnakala Board
Bilaspur : The Sarafa Mahasammelan 2026, organised during the third general meeting of the Chhattisgarh Sarafa Association, concluded successfully at Ramdev Lawn in Mangla, Bilaspur. The grand event witnessed participation of thousands of jewellery traders, representatives and office bearers from across Chhattisgarh under the theme “Two Years Remarkable, Third Year Will Create a New Benchmark.”
The programme was organised by the Bilaspur District Sarafa Association along with regional units of the organisation. The event began with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp.
The conference was attended by Chief Guests including Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma, Bilha MLA Dharamlal Kaushik, Takhatpur MLA Dharamjit Singh, Beltara MLA Sushant Shukla, CREDA Chairman Bhupendra Savanni, former MLA Krishna Kumar Bandhi, along with a large number of sarafa representatives.
Focus on Swarnakala Board and Trader Welfare
The programme began with an address by Chhattisgarh Sarafa Association State President Kamal Soni. Expressing gratitude to the Chhattisgarh Government for allotment of land for the proposed Gems & Jewellery Park, he said that efforts are underway for its early implementation.
He also demanded the establishment of a Gems & Jewellery Park in Bilaspur and immediate formation of a Swarnakala Board to protect local artisans, preserve traditional jewellery craftsmanship and promote the jewellery trade.
Responding to the demand, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao directed that the Bilaspur Gems & Jewellery Park proposal be moved forward and asked Municipal Commissioner Prakash Sarve to take necessary action on the file.
Demand for Legal Simplification
During the conference, detailed discussions were held on preventing misuse of Section 317 of BNS / Section 411 of IPC and simplifying legal provisions affecting jewellery traders.
Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma assured the traders that he would discuss the concerns related to Section 317 with the concerned department immediately so that traders do not face unnecessary difficulties while conducting business.
Honour Ceremony for Senior Members and Units
During the event, senior members, founders, former presidents and active contributors of the association were honoured with the “Sarafa Ratna” recognition. All district-level units were also felicitated for their contribution towards strengthening the organisation.
A special workshop was organised by senior officials from BIS and GST departments, where traders were informed about updated regulations, hallmarking procedures and taxation-related processes. Traders’ queries were also addressed during the session.
Every Possible Effort for City Development: Tokhan Sahu
Union Minister Tokhan Sahu attended the concluding session of the conference despite his busy schedule. Addressing the gathering, he said that the third year of the Sarafa Association would become a landmark year.
He appreciated the efforts of State President Kamal Soni in bringing jewellery traders together on a common platform and assured that every possible effort would be made for the development of Bilaspur.
He said that although his schedule caused a delay, he fulfilled his commitment to attend the association’s programme.
Blood Donation Camp Organised
A voluntary blood donation camp was also organised during the Sarafa Mahasammelan in association with Sai Blood and Component Centre.
More than 50 units of blood were collected during the camp, which will help needy patients.
Contribution of Organisers and Supporting Units
The successful organisation of the mega event was made possible through the efforts of Bilaspur District Sarafa Association President Kalyan Singh, Secretary Deepak Soni, Treasurer Alok Soni and Executive President Shrikant Pandey.
From the state team, State President Kamal Soni, State Secretary Prakash Golchha, Treasurer Harshvardhan Jain, Chairman Pradeep Ghorpade, Sanjay Kanungo, Uttam Chand Bhandari, Madan Agrawal, Raju Duggar, Rajesh Soni, Sunil Soni and Media In-charge Alok Soni played an important role in the planning and execution of the programme.
The historic Sarafa Mahasammelan concluded with a vote of thanks to all guests, traders, representatives and supporting organisations.
