Edited by: Muhammad Harris
Last updated: Mar 04, 2023, 11:02 AM IST
Gold hallmark is a certification of the purity of the precious metal. It was voluntary in nature until June 16, 2021.
The sale of gold jewelry and gold artifacts without a six-digit alphanumeric SKIN unique identification number will no longer be allowed from April 1, the government said on Friday.
Sale of gold jewelry and gold art objects without SKIN is no longer allowed from April 1, according to an official statement. Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) is a six-digit alphanumeric code consisting of numbers and letters.
“From April 1, 2023, the sale of only gold jewelry with SKIN will be allowed,” the Ministry of Consumer Affairs said in a statement on Friday, March 4. Gold hallmark is a certification of the purity of the precious metal. voluntary in nature until June 16, 2021.
It also said that in an effort to foster a culture of quality in microscale units, BIS is granting an 80 percent concession on the certification/minimum marking fee for several of BIS’s product certification schemes. In addition, units in the Northeast will continue to receive an additional 10 percent concession.
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal chaired a meeting on Friday, March 4, to review the activities of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The mandatory gold hallmark has been introduced in phases. In a first phase, it was made mandatory in 256 districts. In the second phase, a total of 32 districts were added, bringing the total number to 288 districts. Fifty-one more districts will be added.
According to a MOT report, Nidhi Khare, additional secretary in the consumer affairs department, said that “in the interest of consumers, it has been decided that after March 31, the sale of gold jewelry and gold artifacts without SKIN will not be allowed.” Currently, she said, both four-digit and six-digit SKIN are currently being used.
She said the branded gold jewelry is sold all over the country, even in those districts where it is not yet mandatory due to consumer demand for quality products.
SKIN is given to each piece of jewelry when it is inspected and is unique to each piece. The jewelry is manually stamped with the unique number in the Assaying & Hallmarking Center (AHC).
Piyush Goyal said: “We are committed to ensuring that all products in India meet the highest quality and safety standards. These measures will promote micro-scale units, improve testing infrastructure and develop a culture of quality awareness among citizens.”
BIS has now proposed quality control orders (QCO) for 663 products for the coming period. There are currently 462 products covered by QCOs. BIS will involve students/NCC cadets/scouts in their efforts to develop quality awareness and culture in the country.
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