Rajasthan CM seeks expatriate Rajasthanis’ support for gems, jewellery hub

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has appealed to Non-Resident Rajasthanis (NRRs) settled in Gujarat to contribute in making the State a global gem and jewelery hub. Mr. Sharma said Rajasthan is poised to become a US$ 350 billion economy and has an investment-friendly environment.

Mr. Sharma was addressing a Pravasi Rajasthani Gathering at Surat in Gujarat on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, in preparation for the first Pravasi Rajasthani Diwas to be observed here on December 10. The day, to be hosted in conjunction with the ‘Rising Rajasthan’ partnership meeting, will strengthen the State’s ties with the global Rajasthani diaspora and leverage their expertise in key sectors.

The Prime Minister said Surat and Rajasthan share a “common spirit” of entrepreneurship, creativity and perseverance. “Surat is world famous for diamond cutting and synthetic textiles while Rajasthan is famous for colored gemstones, kundan, meenakari, textiles and handicrafts,” he said.

Mr. Sharma said that the relationship between Gujarat and Rajasthan is not just limited to geographical proximity, there are tremendous opportunities for economic, cultural and social cooperation between the two States. He said that apart from the gems and jewelery sector, the proposed petrochemical complex in Rajasthan will also offer huge opportunities.

Mr. Sharma said Pravasi Rajasthani Diwas will connect NRRs to their homeland and enable them to spread the benefit of their entrepreneurship across the State. He said that the state government will award ‘Pravasi Rajasthani Samman Award’ every year to NRRs who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of science, business, arts, sports, literature, cinema, music and social service.

The Chief Minister said that the State government will give full support to investors in setting up global talent hubs and data centres. “An institutional framework has been created to strengthen engagement with NRRs and as many as 26 chapters of the Rajasthan Foundation are currently active in India and abroad,” Mr. Sharma said.

The state government is also planning to set up a special department to further strengthen its relationship with NRRs. Mr. Sharma said this initiative will ensure active participation of the global Rajasthani diaspora in the development of the state and creation of “Advanced Rajasthan-2047”. The Rajasthan Foundation is the state’s key diaspora outreach body.

Mr. Sharma also touched on the investor-friendly policies of the State, stating that the government has introduced and amended more than 20 new policies to create a progressive business ecosystem. “Under the Rajasthan Investment Promotion Scheme-2024, investors have received subsidies of over Rs 1,400 billion in the last one and a half years,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel and Rajasthan Foundation’s Surat chapter president Shyam Rathi were among those who attended the Pravasi Rajasthani Meet.