MUMBAI, April 10 (Xinhua) -- India's national apex body of gems and jewellery industry has sought relief from the country's western state of Maharashtra to operate during the COVID-19 lockdown for the second year ahead of a festive occasion next week.

The festive "Gudi Padwa", considered as new year in the western state and by other names in the rest of the country as harvest festival or the solar new year, is viewed by Indians as auspicious for buying jewellery.

"The industry was seeing an upward graph but now with new lockdown restrictions in April, the livelihood of many craftsmen and self-employed jewelers will be affected and their families will suffer. The traditional Make in India indigenous gem & jewellery will not be able to survive one more lockdown as on-ground situation is really bad," said Ashish Pethe, chairman of All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council.

Maharashtra and its political capital Mumbai is a major hub for thousands of wholesalers and manufacturers, as well as for jewelers and artisans, who have migrated from all parts of India.

Last week the state imposed a weekend lockdown and night curfew during the weekdays till April 30 following the second wave of COVID-19, which has brought active cases in the state to 536,063, or 51 percent of the total 1.05 million active case in India so far.

According to industry report, the gems and jewellery sector plays a significant role in the Indian economy, contributing around 7 percent to the country's GDP. Enditem

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