New Delhi/ Mumbai, Apr 13 (KNN) Jewellery shops in India have reopened after remaining shut for 6 weeks. The striking jewellers not only lost on new business but also faced a tough time retaining artisans and micro entrepreneurs and also paying rent for their establishments. To their disappointment, the government refused to roll back its proposal on 1 per cent excise duty.

Some jewellers had already called off the strike on March 19 after a meeting that took place between trade bodies and Power and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal, who represented the government.

Meanwhile, KNN spoke to the Jewellers Associations to know the point of differences between the associations that called off strike earlier and the ones that called off the strike today.

The Spokesperson of India Bullion and Jewellers Association of India, Ketan Shroff said that on 19^th March the meeting was held with the Government in Delhi, but some representatives of regional associations misguided their members as they were upset and decided to not open the shops. 

The Government has clarified its intention that they would not roll back one per cent excise on Jewellery, he revealed. But the Government has agreed that Gold would be considered as a separate commodity and there would be no raids by the inspectors or any departments due to this.

The Jewellers were concerned that “inspector raj” would come back after the decision of one per cent hike and making the PAN card mandatory on a sale of more than Rs. 2 Lakh jewellery.

He further told KNN that Government formed a three member committee which includes a member from the trade association, central excise member and one from the IAS lobby.

The Government was ready to accept the online returns from the jewellers, he said.

Over 300 associations comprising over 3 lakh manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, artisans among others, participated in the stir across the country.

KNN also caught up with the Spokesperson of All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation Ashok Minawala who said that around 90 per cent jewellers have called off the strike in the majority of the states.

“They have declared to withdraw it,” he said.

He revealed that some association did negative publicity in their states; as a result strike was continued in some parts of the India.  There were around 20 major associations present in the meeting, he added.

When asked about the loss suffered during the strike, he said, “We don’t have exact numbers but yes it is huge.”

Indian jewellers have been on an indefinite strike since the beginning of March 2016 protesting against the Budget proposal to levy 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery. (KNN/ AR)