Over 9,000 gold hallmarking licenses issued

The government today said it has so far issued over 9,000 gold hallmarking licences across the country to protect consumers from unscrupulous jewellers.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) which issues licences has issued 9,005 licences till December 31, 2011, an official statement said here today.

Besides, 528 licences have been issued for silver jewellery till that date, it added.

BIS is encouraging hallmarking scheme for gold jewellery to ensure quality products for the consumers, the statement said adding efforts are being made to make it mandatory for gold jewellery.

BIS is the national standards body of the country working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public distribution. It resolves to be the leader in all matters concerning standardisation, certification and quality.

To protect consumers from unscrupulous jewellers, the government had early this month approved a proposal making hallmarking of gold mandatory.

The hallmarking of gold, which is voluntary in nature at present, is a purity certification of the precious metal.

Over 170 hallmarking centres have been recognised in the country by BIS to provide services for small jewellers. The BIS also organises awareness week on hallmarking in various regions through its regional offices.

Focused publicity was given on hallmarking through electronic as well as print media and nukkad nataks, it said.

Beside this, training programmes for hallmarking personnel were organised at Panipat, Kanpur, Lucknow, Amritsar, Jalandhar & Barog (HP), the statement added.