Gujarat Govt Delays Aid for 90,000 Diamond Workers Amid Vetting Process

Quick Summary

• The Gujarat goverment received 89,948 applications for educational aid from diamond workers but has so far supported only 170 children with school fees payments.
• The assistance package,introduced in response to the Russia-Ukraine war’s impact on the diamond industry,provides ₹13,500 per child annually using the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
• by July, 70,254 applications were received from Surat and another 3,926 from Ahmedabad. While Ahmedabad workers received ₹24.03 lakh total aid, Surat applicants are still awaiting disbursal.
• Additional applications include 13,462 from Botad and 2,306 from Amreli districts; no aid has been distributed to these regions.
• Diamond Workers Union expressed frustration over delays and claimed that many workers are struggling to provide required employment proofs due to job losses and shutdowns of units.
• Concerns were raised about a potential increase in unemployment following a new U.S.tariff of 50% on diamond imports.

indian Opinion Analysis

The Gujarat government’s slow disbursal under its educational aid scheme points toward administrative bottlenecks despite apparent urgency created by post-war economic distress. This delay raises critical questions about procedural hurdles such as validating employment records-a challenge amplified by widespread layoffs and closures across the diamond sector.

The uneven geographic distribution of relief funds further highlights disparities between districts like Ahmedabad versus others like Surat or Botad and suggests room for more equitable implementation of welfare programs. With education directly impacted for thousands of families dependent on these jobs, broader socio-economic repercussions could emerge if support doesn’t reach beneficiaries swiftly.

Additionally, compounded stress due to global trade developments such as high tariffs imposed by the United States may exacerbate financial insecurity within this export-reliant sector-the need for faster policy execution becomes even more vital given ongoing risks.

Read More: The Hindu