The Government on Saturday urged jewellery body All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) to reconsider its decision to go on strike on August 23. Sharing the progress made in 50 days during the implementation of the first phase of mandatory gold hallmarking, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) said the number of jewellers registered for gold hallmarking has increased to 91,603 now, from 35,000 jewellers when the mandatory hallmarking came into force.
“When the HUID (hallmark unique identification number) was implemented, 1.17 crore pieces of jewelleries were received between July 1 and August 20 at assaying centers. Out of which, more than 1 crore pieces were hallmarked with HUID. Even the number of pieces jewellers sent for assaying and hallmarking has increased from 5,135 pieces in the first fortnight of July, to 14,349 pieces in the first fortnight of August,” said the BIS Director General Pramod Kumar Tiwari on Saturday.
Allaying fears that delay in gold hallmarking will impact jewellers’ business during festival and marriage season, the BIS Chief said, “When a new system is implemented, initially one faces problems. And those are resolved gradually.” As a result, the number of jewellery items hallmarked increased from 14.28 lakh pieces during July 1-15 to 41.81 lakh pieces during August 1-15 of this year. On August 20, 3.90 lakh pieces were hallmarked in one single day, he said. Gold hallmarking, a purity certification of the precious metal, was voluntary in nature prior to June 16.
On the proposed strike of jewelers, Tiwari said ;”I heard that some associations have given a call for strike. Strike for what? ... The Government is listening to every issue raised by stakeholders. The idea of strike is uncalled for”. In a recent meeting held on August 19 with industry stakeholders, Tiwari said many jewellers’ associations had opposed the strike and said they support the new HUID system as it has become a brand name for small and medium jewellers in the country.
“If some people (jewellers) have problems, there is no basis for that. Those who are thinking about strike, I want to appeal to them that they will not get a more sensitive and responsive government than the current one,” he said. Tiwari asked the jewellery body GJC to reconsider its decision and take back the call for strike. “We will regularly have dialogue with you. HUID is in the interest of the country and consumers. This is a big initiative,” he said, adding that the government is always ready to address the concerns of jewellers.
The All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) has called a nationwide ‘token strike’ on August 23, against the government’s arbitrary implementation of mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery with HUID (hallmark unique identification number). Mandatory gold hallmarking has come into force from June 16 in a phased manner. The government has identified 256 districts from 28 states and union territories for phase-1 implementation.
On apprehension of some jewellers about lack of capacity of assaying centres, he said, “One hallmarking centre in a shift of 8 hours can hallmark 500 pieces. There are about 860. About 161 out of 860 assaying centers have got more than 500 jewellery pieces per day. A lot of capacity is underutilised.” The concerns raised about capacity and pace of hallmarking are not based on facts, he noted.
Tiwari said that the government has addressed every genuine concern of the jewellers. Even small jewellers’ demand to hallmark a mix of jewellery items having the same purity has been accepted. “A notification in this regard will be issued soon,” he said.