The All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), the national apex body of the gems and jewellery industry, has written to the Department of Consumer Affairs under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Govt of India, to consider postponing and extending the deadline for implementation of mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery to June 2022 instead of June 2021 due to COVID-19 and lack of infrastructure, as per a press release from the Council.
GJC has also pointed out that of the 733 districts in the country, only 245 districts now have A&H Centres (as per as per Bureau of Indian Standards data) and GJC has urged the BIS to ensure that there is at least one A&H Centre in each district in the country.
Ashish Pethe, Chairman, GJC, said, “There are various operational and procedural issues concerning the implementation of the mandatory requirement, which if unaddressed will create an obstacle for compliance of the hallmarking requirements. This will also severely affect the jewellery industry, leading to drastic consequences such as cessation of business, loss of livelihood, litigation and unnecessary waste of time and energy. Mandatory hallmarking in its current state has the potential to affect the livelihood of millions of people and will lead to huge disruption in the century’s old jewellery business. Due to COVID-19, the jewellery business is already suffering, and mandatory hallmarking should be postponed by atleast a year till the infrastructure is in place.”
GJC has organised a national level industry meet (over ZOOM) to discuss the issues and problems in the mandatory hallmarking regime on 21st April 2021.
Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished
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