In spite of record hike in gold rates and gold jewelry, Titan Industries Limited (TIL) is eyeing around 20 per cent surge in the sale of gold jewelry in 2010.

Mr. Bhaskar Bhat. TIL's Managing Director made this announcement on Wednesday.

While talking to newsmen here today on the sidelines of a programme to implement a new business concept to improve the working conditions of gold 'Karigars' (workers) across the country, Mr. Bhat said, "Contrary to the general belief that the demand for gold and gold jewellery had dipped substantially this year in the wake of their rise in prices in the open market crossing the Rs 19,000 mark per ten gram, it had not only remained stable but indicated as high as 20 per cent growth this year."

Mr. Bhat also said that the company's gold sale in during the first couple of months this fiscal is according to the expectation.

Drawing attention to the prominent features of the new idea of altering the working environment of gold workers in three of their present workshops in India, he said apart from developing fully computerized model workshop, they offered up a clear and environmentally-friendly ambience for the karigars with recreational facilities during off time.

" Since the introduction of the new Mr Perfect concept last year TIL's production volume of gold jewellery had gone up by about 50 per cent this year," Mr. Bhat claimed adding that so far about 120 such workmen had been benefitted by the new initiative.

" We hope about 500 such karigars would be brought under the programme before the year end, when the number of our working centres would also go up from the present three to about ten", he said. (With Inputs from Agencies)