The nation’s bi-annual worldwide stone honest is all set to open its doorways to the general public within the second week of February, the place Indian and worldwide members will showcase their distinctive merchandise and creations in pure stone.
STONA 2025, to be hosted on the Bengaluru Worldwide Exhibition Centre between February 12 and 15, will witness a variety of sights, together with reside demonstrations and a show of works by award-winning sculptors from throughout the nation. An interactive seminar on geology on February 13 the place “skilling and the usage of know-how for protected and sustainable mining” might be deliberated upon by trade consultants and policymakers.
The four-day exhibition, the third largest stone exhibition on the earth after the Italian and Chinese language stone gala’s, might be unfold over an space of 45,000 sq.m., displayed in 5 halls together with an out of doors space for the displays.
STONA 2025 will host 500 exhibitors from throughout the nation and abroad, who will showcase their merchandise and show the most recent innovation in equipment, instruments, and pure stone. It will embody 4 worldwide pavilions the place 18 international locations will take part.
Sculptural extravaganza
The exhibition, set to draw 1000’s of tourists from throughout the nation and the world, is predicted to garner a enterprise turnover of ₹1,000 crore, in keeping with Madan Lal Jangid, Chairman, STONA 2025. In addition to the show of beautiful stone sculptures of nationwide award-winning sculptors from throughout the nation, there might be a particular attraction, ‘Shilpgram’ which promotes rural artisans works, enabling them to show their stone sculptures and artefacts in addition to supply reside demonstrations.
“STONA 2025 has allotted 25 stalls to the agricultural artisans who will take part from throughout the nation,” said Jangid.
Sculptor from throughout India showcasing their vary of stone, granite and marble ware and idols at Shilpagram at a earlier version of STONA exhibition.
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particular arragement
Floor for interplay
“STONA 2025 is a fertile floor for internet hosting interactions between trade stakeholders, innovators and pure stone fans from internationally,” pointed Krishna Prasad, President, Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Business (FIGSI). “The exhibition additionally helps to showcase India’s wealthy pure stone heritage and provides the platform for companies to attach, collaborate and develop.”
Challenges to be surmounted
Whereas the Indian pure stone trade guidelines excessive when it comes to its heritage and enviable vary, the challenges to the trade are diverse and a number of, requiring pressing deal with. “The trade is dealing with a number of points akin to scarcity of uncooked supplies, regulatory bottlenecks in addition to unfair competitors from synthetic stones”, contended Prasad.
“The trade wants a conducive ambiance to operate and ship and this requires fixing the precise points confronted together with the implementation of greatest practices to make sure a stage enjoying discipline.”
One Nation, One Mineral, One Coverage
Given the a number of challenges that the Indian pure stone trade has been dealing with over the interval, the FIGSI has been advocating for a few years, key coverage modifications that embody granting quarry leases for 50 years with assured renewals, rationalisation of royalty charges, discount of GST on the uncooked blocks and slabs. “What we search are reforms akin to ‘One Nation One Mineral One Coverage’ which assist the trade to succeed in its full potential and contribute considerably to the nation’s financial development”, Prasad added.
Skilling to excel
Scarcity of expert labour has been plaguing the trade for a few years and to counter this, FIGSI got here up with two state-of-the-art coaching and ability improvement centres, one located in Hosur, Tamil Nadu and the opposite in Jaipur, Rajasthan. “The concept is to bridge the hole presently prevailing within the availability of expert manpower and guarantee there’s a regular provide of expert professionals to fulfill the wants of the trade”, added Prasad.
STONA 2025 might be inaugurated on February 12 by Karnataka’s Minister of Mines and Geology and Horticulture S.S. Mallikarjun, and Karnataka’s Minister for Transport and Muzrai Ramalinga Reddy. Additionally current on the inaugural operate might be Rajastan’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Krishnan Kumar Vishnoi.
Awards and Honours
The ultimate day of the exhibition, February 15, will witness the presentation of awards and honours to nationally acclaimed sculptors for his or her spectacular work in addition to trade leaders within the space of exports, quarry, equipment and instruments. The awards, introduced by FIGSI, might be given away by Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka D.Okay. Shivakumar. In addition to the trade awards and lifelong achievement award, this version of STONA may even current an award to honour the famend sculptor Arun Yogiraj.
To encourage college students to take up the examine of geology, FIGSI may even have a particular class for meritorious pupil award within the discipline of geology.
Revealed – February 09, 2025 03:59 pm IST
