Stona, the four-day ninth international granites and stones fair began on Thursday with the Home Minister V S Acharya giving a call for once again making Karnataka the top- ranked State for the development of the granite industry.



The exhibition showcases a range of the country's colourful, eye-catching natural stones and a platform that helps in demonstrating the capacity and the latest techniques in the craft of stone working.



As many as 190 stalls have been set up at the fair and the organisers expect that around 2 lakhs people will visit it. Stona's special features include the Artisan Promotion Programme (Shilpagram), a special area where artists working on granite, marble and sandstone have been invited from all over the country.



There will be a seminar on geology, mines, safety, and environment on Friday. The architects, builders and interior decorators' seminar will be held on Saturday. The event is being organised by the All India Granites and Stone Association and co-organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Tumkur Road from February 4 to 7.



Exhibitors include stone quarry owners, stone processors, value-added stone-craft units, testing and standardisation organisations, manufacturers, traders and exporters of stone-related machineries and equipment, and stone industry associations.