The Central Government has decided to introduce mandatory hallmarking in the country in a phased manner, starting from the metros, and the necessary legislation for the same has been introduced in the Parliament, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs K V Thomas has said.
He was speaking at a function organised to declare Idukki as the first district in the country with all the jewellers taking the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) licence for gold hallmarking.
The Minister added that gold hallmarking is the most stringent mechanism to ensure transparency in gold business as well as ensuring value for money for the customers.
A total of 106 jewellers in the Idukki district have voluntarily come forward to adopt the gold hallmarking licence scheme of the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The gold hallmarking scheme was launched by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Govt of India, in 2000. Minister for Water Resources P J Joseph and P T Thomas MP were also present.