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Monday, 30th January 2006 (6143 views)

The Indian government has reiterated its promise to help in the establishment of more Indian gold hallmarking centres.

The government will gives Rs 15 lakh to help set up assay centres in any city that doesn't currently have one, L. Mansingh, secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, confirmed last Friday (January 27th).

At least 35 cities do not have a centre at present, including Tiruchi and Madurai, the Hindu reports.

Mr Mansingh said that the consumer awareness of gold quality in Kerala and Tamil Nadu was "very good". Both areas have centres and the secretary said that he hoped this awareness would spread to other states as they too gained centres.

The hallmarking of gold jewellery will become mandatory after January 1st 2008.

To facilitate transition, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has significantly reduced the yearly marking fee payable by a jeweller for promoting hallmarking licences. BIS now expects the number of licences to double in the next year.

A survey in 2001 found that 90 per cent of jewellery samples failed a purity test, underscoring the need for more hallmarking.

 

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