The Consumer Affairs Ministry on Monday said that norms for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery will be implemented from June 15. The Ministry said that the decision was taken in the wake of the pandemic and after getting requests from stakeholders for more time to implement these norms. Earlier, mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery was to become effective from June 1.
In a statement, the Ministry said a committee had been formed to resolve issues being faced by jewellers. “Pramod Tewari, DG, Bureau of Indian Standards would be the convener of the committee. Additional Secretary Nidhi Khare, Department of Consumer Affairs and representatives of jewellers associations, trade, and hallmarking bodies are going to constitute the committee,” the statement added.
Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Piyush Goyal on Monday reviewed the progress made in implementing mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery in India at a webinar and conference organised by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The meeting was attended by various associations of bullion trade, hallmarking centres, jewellers, trade and export bodies besides Ministry officials and BIS.
The government issued the quality control order for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery/artefacts on January 15, 2020, but the last date was extended till June 1, 2021, to enable jewellers to clear old stock of non-hallmarked jewellery.
“The hallmarking of jewellery/artefacts is required to. enhance the credibility of gold jewellery and customer satisfaction through third party assurance for the marked purity/fineness of gold, consumer protection. This step will also help to develop India as a leading gold market centre in the World," the official statement added.