India to make gold hallmarking mandatory from Jan 2008

Kolkata, Jul 6 (UNI) The Indian government has decided to make gold hallmarking mandatory from January 1 2008, Union Consumer Affairs department's secretary L Mansingh said today.

'' The initiative is being undertaken to protect consumer interest and to boost gold jewellery exports from the country,'' Mansingh said.

India is considering to join the International Convention on Control and Marking of Precious Metals popularly known as ''Vienna Convention'' by this year to boost gold jewellery exports from the country, he said adding that gold hallmarking is a criteria for being a member of the Convention.

The Central government is already providing financial incentives for creating infrastructure for Assaying and Hallmarking of gold. The procedure of granting of licence and certification fees has been rationalised, he said.

According to a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) survey in 2000 on 120 samples drawn from eight cities, an average shortage of purity of 11 per cent was reported in 88 per cent of the samples, Mansingh pointed out.

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