SOME PROMINENT jewellers of the City are sore over a jewellery exhibition at a hotel. The jewellers joined hands to raise voice against the ‘Gold & Diamond Jewellery Exhibition’ being organised by Indore-based Punjab Jewellers at Hotel Jehan Numa Palace from September 24 to 27.
They alleged that the organiser of the exhibition has given wrong dates about a scheme “Lucky Lakshmi-2006”, which do not conform to the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation’s (AIGJTF) revised announcement.
Buying of gold ornaments peaks during the Navratri festival. To cash in on the jewellery craze, AIGJTF, in association with World Gold Council (WGC) and Diamond Trading Company, has floated Lucky Lakshmi scheme. Under the scheme a customer will get a lucky draw coupon-cum-scratch card on purchase of ornaments worth Rs 3000 and above.
Total prizes worth around Rs 5 crore, including 25 kg gold and diamonds worth about Rs 2.5 crore will be given across the country.
The date of the scheme was fixed from September 23 to November 6. This has reportedly been changed to September 27 to November 10. As per the letter faxed by Federation’s chairman (Festival Committee) Ashok Minawala, the date has been changed due to some logistical problems.
“As the coupons are to be sent to every corner of the country against the scheme, the federation was compelled to extend it. But, the Indore-based jeweller, through advertisement in local dailies, has announced its beginning from September 24 and it is confusing customers of Bhopal,” complained Alankar Jewellers’ Narendra Singhal.
{{/usCountry}}“As the coupons are to be sent to every corner of the country against the scheme, the federation was compelled to extend it. But, the Indore-based jeweller, through advertisement in local dailies, has announced its beginning from September 24 and it is confusing customers of Bhopal,” complained Alankar Jewellers’ Narendra Singhal.
{{/usCountry}}The jewellers complained that Punjab Jeweller has claimed the scheme to be its own, but the latter has refuted this charge. Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Punjab Jewellers’ director Darpan Anand clarified that the all-India scheme belongs to WGC and they are also participating in it. “Exhibition is separate and as a participant, we’ve also introduced it,” he said.
He said, as the date has just been amended, they have got special permission to carry on and the same has been communicated to customers. Those who have already got coupons will be entitled to the prizes, he said.