In the Year-end-Review, Department of Consumer Affairs, from keeping check over price rise of essential commodities to strengthening price monitoring and sensitising consumers about Consumer Rights, the Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution made concerted efforts round the year.
Out of some of the key initiatives and achievements of the Department in the year 2023 talk about the initiatives that taken for Hallmarking!
During the period from 1st April, 2023 to 25th November, 2023 number of hallmarking registration has grown from 1,60,866 to 1,84,296 while the number of BIS recognized Assaying and Hallmarking centres have increased from 1403 to 1499. 26 Off-Site Centres were also recognized during the period. During the same period, 10.39 crore articles of gold and silver jewellery/artefacts have been hallmarked.
Amendment to Quality control order for mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery/artefacts has been issued on 06 September, 2023 by the Govt. of India which has increased the number of districts covered under mandatory hallmarking from 288 districts of the country to 343 districts where there is at least one Assaying and Hallmarking Centre since 01 June 2022.
In view of the implementation of Mandatory Hallmarking Order, a new online system for the automation of the assaying & hallmarking activities at AHCs was made functional with the new Hallmark consisting of six digit HUID (Hallmarking Unique ID) since 01 July 2021. Since the launch of HUID based system for hallmarking, 30.54 crore articles of gold jewellery/artefacts have been hallmarked as on 25 November 2023.
Hallmarking of gold Bullion in the fineness of 999 & 995 as per IS 1417:2016 was started in October 2015. Under this scheme, so far, 50 licences have been granted to refineries/ India Government Mint for Gold bullion and coin as on 25 November, 2023.
Govt. of India has launched Gold Monetization Scheme on 05 November 2015. So far, 48 A&H centres and one Jeweller have been qualified to act as Collection and Purity Testing Centres (CPTC). · Under the Plan Scheme for Hallmarking, during this period, three AHCs were provided Central Assistance for setting up the centre in deficient location. In capacity building one programme was for training of BIS officers.