Liberalise regulations, TN Jewellers Federation tells Centre

Tiruchirapalli, Sep 9 (UNI) Welcoming the Union Government's move to introduce BIS standard and make it mandatory to hallmark gold and diamond jewellery, the Tamil Nadu Jewellers Federation today demanded liberalisation of rules and regulations as it will severely affect the small scale jewellers.

Talking to newspersons here today, Federation President Nathella Ranganatha Gupta said some irregularities might take place even after hallmarking jewellery. The jeweller and the manufacturer should be held responsible for it. However, it was indicated that the manufacturer was not brought under the purview of the BIS norms.

He demanded that each and every jewellery should have the seal of the manufacturing company and the BIS authorities should implement this.

Stating that the hallmark system was to be made compulsory from next year, Mr Gupta said the Federation sought postponement of its implementation till the rectification of practical difficulties were made.

He said 40 tonnes of gold and other jewellery were sold throughout the country on the recent 'Akshaya Trithiya day', including about 15 tonnes in Tamil Nadu alone.

He welcomed the implementation of VAT system and said after its implementaion, the sales of gold and other jewellery had gone up more than four times.

UNI