Traders welcome the extension of Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery

New Delhi, May 25 (KNN) The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has welcomed the extension of mandatory Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery till 15th June providing some more time to the gold jewellers across the country to get prepared for implementation of compulsory hallmarking on each and every item of gold to be sold in the country post 15th June,2021.

The traders' body and host of other organizations had earlier pitched for extension of the date in view of the continued COVID situation in the country. The decision of extension was announced by Union Consumer Affairs, Railway and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal at a video conference with prominent jewellery trade leaders of the country held on Monday

''Business community of the country is prepared to embrace the technology and upgradation of goods to be sold in India since it will bring a mutual trust between the Government, traders and the consumers,'' said CAIT National President B C Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal on Tuesday.

''However, there is a need to have laws, rules and regulations which are compatible with the on-ground functioning of the trade in India to provide ease of doing business rather than complicating the system,'' they added.

Both the leaders appreciated the positive and firm approach of Goyal in resolving the issues confronted by the domestic trade and assured that CAIT will augment hallmarking centres in association with All India Jewellers & Goldsmith Federation (AIJGF), a body representing small jewellery traders across the country.

There are about 4 lakh jewellers all over India which are providing employment to lakhs of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled people who are engaged in making jewellery in different steps.

Accepting the suggestion of CAIT and other organisations, the Minister also announced formation of a committee to ensure proper coordination and resolve the implementation issues to be headed by Shri Pramod Tewari DG, BIS as the convener of Committee including Nidhi Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs and representatives of CAIT Pankaj Arora, Renu Sharma with representatives of Jewellers' Associations and hallmarking centre’s Association etc. 

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already issued the parameters of obtaining registration under which every person engaged in gold jewellery will have to sell only hallmarking certified gold jewellery having purity of 14 carrot, 18 carat and 22 carat.

Hallmarking will enable consumers to exercise their choice in purchasing the gold jewellery. Earlier, Quality control order for mandatory hallmarking of Gold Jewellery/artefacts was issued by the Government on January 15th, 2020, but the last date was extended to June 1st, 2021 to clear old stock of non-hallmarked jewellery.

Presently, the A&H Centre’s can hallmark 1500 articles in a day, the estimated hallmarking capacity of A&H Centre’s per year is 14 crore articles by assuming that in about 300 working days, almost 500 articles can be hallmarked in each shift.