Employees of the Shrenuj Group at the Patliputra Industrial Area unit. Telegraph picture

The diamonds on the wedding rings of prospective brides and grooms in Germany or France might have been cut and polished in Bihar.

Many precious stones that make their way to jewellery shops across the world are now cut and polished in Patna — at the unit of Shrenuj Group.

Their number would soon increase as the Maharashtra-based company is planning to expand the output of the unit that opened at Patliputra Industrial Area in March.

Within the next five months, 550 residents of the state would be trained to cut and polish diamonds. The Shrenuj Group would employ them, said a senior official of the company on Wednesday.

Sources said the unit has brought investment of Rs 600 crore to the state. Along with it, 150 trained workers, who were earlier employed at diamond cutting units in Surat, Gujarat, have returned home.

They polish around 30,000 diamonds every month. All these gems are exported. The company has branches in US, Europe, Australia, West Asia and China.

“The state has helped and supported us in everyway. We are satisfied and have plans to invest more in the state,” said Pranava Bhargava, the general manager of Shrenuj and Company Limited.

He added: “The unit has done fairly well and we plan to enhance our output. We shall provide employment to residents of the state. Hence, we plan to train 550 people, living around 100km of Patna, to cut and polish diamonds.”

The recruits would be chosen from around the state capital so that they can go home during holidays, added Bhargava. He also said: “The initial recruitment process has begun. There is no minimum qualification for the job. Graduates have applied as well. The training will start in four to five months. In the first phase, 15-20 people would be trained by the artisans who work at the unit now.”

Bhargava, however, did not talk about more investment, though he said the company is interested in setting up more units in the state. The company also has an offer for artisans from Bihar who have gone out seeking employment.

He said: “People from the state who are working at diamond cutting units in Gujarat are welcome to apply for jobs at our Patna unit. We plan to set up more units and it will generate employment in the state.”

But all the plans would see the light of day only if the company gets more land to expand operations. “One needs a spacious centre to train so many people. Those who qualify will be recruited. The final strength of the unit would be 1,400 to 1,500,” he said. “The building out of which we are operating at present is quite small and old. We are discussing the possibility of being provided some land in Patna with Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority. We are hopeful that the government will provide us the space required to build a training centre-cum-factory. The building of the present unit will also be pulled down and a new one constructed.”