Hallmarking of gold jewellery mandatory from Jan one 2008

Chennai, Sep 8 (UNI) The Union Government has decided to make hallmarking of gold jewellery mandatory from January one, 2008.

Announcing this at a press conference here today, Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Additional Director General Y P Singh said the BIS Hallmarking Scheme was introduced in April 2000 to ensure value for money for consumers, provide third party assurance on purity, support exports and to develop India as a reliable market of jewellery.

Stating that the scheme was voluntary at present, he said the Centre had decided to make hallmarking of gold jewellery compulsory from January 2008.

However, the hallmarking of silver jewellery, introduced in October 2005, would not be made mandatory, he added.

As part of measures to promote the scheme, hallmarking regulations would be formulated under the BIS Act, Mr Singh said.

Steps were also being taken by BIS for accession to the Vienna Convention for accreditation of Indian gold jewellery experts for better image and accessibility to various overseas jewellery markets.

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