【Surat, India】Surat’s School Fee Relief Verification for Diamond Artisans Picks Up Pace

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Editor’s Note

This article has been updated to reflect the accelerated verification process for school fee relief applications for children of unemployed diamond artisans in Surat, managed by the Surat Diamond Association with government support.

Surat’s school fee relief verification for diamond artisans picks up pace
Verification Process Accelerates

Verification of application forms for school fee relief for children of jobless diamond artisans in Surat is now being carried out on a war footing after an initial delay. The process is being managed by the Surat Diamond Association (SDA), with support from the Surat district collector’s office and the District Industries Centre (DIC).

Approvals and Daily Targets

Around 5,000 forms are being verified daily, with SDA board members approving eligible applications throughout the day. In a meeting on Thursday, chaired by Surat District collector Saurabh Pardhi, 6,094 forms were declared eligible for relief.

“The process is ongoing. Relief money will be disbursed directly to the schools’ accounts only after verification is complete,” Pardhi said, adding that the disbursal process is yet to be finalised.

Officials said more than 78,000 unemployed diamond workers from Surat applied for financial aid to cover their children’s school fees. With support from the Surat Diamond Association (SDA), scrutiny of 6,094 applications has been completed, leading to their approval.

Additional Applications and Verification Workflow

Meanwhile, the District Industries Centre (DIC) has handed over an additional 25,000 applications to the SDA for verification, of which 15,000 have already been checked and submitted back.

“We are employing temporary staff for initial verification, and trustee members of the SDA conduct the final checks. We do not go home for lunch; the focus is on completing the process quickly,” said Jagdish Khunt, SDA president.
“We are verifying 5,000 forms daily. The DIC has already computerised the data and is providing applications to us for verification,” added Dinesh Navadiya, convener of the All Gujarat Diamond Association (AGDA).
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⏰ Published on: September 18, 2025