Lok Sabha Question No. 1069 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-08
Subject: Gold Hallmarking Laboratories
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Margani Bharat

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Department of Consumer Affairs

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1069 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2023

## GOLD HALLMARKING LABORATORIES

## 1069.  SHRI MARGANI BHARAT:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of gold hallmarking laboratories operational in the country as of date;
- (b) whether  the Government  has  assessed  the hallmarking infrastructure before  making  gold hallmarking mandatory;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  it  is  true  that  the  number  of  hallmarking  laboratories  are  not  sufficient  to  cater  to  the demand for gold hallmarking; and
- (e) if  so,  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  enhance  the  hallmarking  infrastructure  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ( lk/oh fujatu T;ksfr )

## CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a) : The number of gold hallmarking laboratories operational in the country as of date is 1374
- (b) &(c) : Yes,  Sir.  The  Hallmarking  had  been  made  mandatory  from  23  June  2021  only  in  256 districts  of  the  Country  which  had  at  least  one  recognized  Assaying  &  Hallmarking  Centre  (AHC). Further,  effective  from  01  June  2022,  the  ambit  of  mandatory  hallmarking  was  extended  to  32  more districts,  making  the  mandatory  hallmarking  regime  applicable  in  288  districts  having  at  least  one recognized  AHC.  Thus,  the  infrastructure  is  sufficient  to  cater  to  the  demands  of  the  districts  wherein Hallmarking has become mandatory.
- (d) : No,  Sir.  At  present  1374  BIS  Recognised  AHCs,  spread  across  335  districts  are  under operation. The BIS Registered Jewellers can send their jewellery to any one of these centres. These AHCs have  hallmarked  more  than  17  crore  pieces  of  gold  jewellery  in  the  span  of  last  1.5  years  since  the implementation of mandatory hallmarking.
- (e) : Setting up of A&H centres is a market driven activity where decision to open an AHC at a particular  location  is  taken  by  the  private  entrepreneur  based  on  the  demand  at  that  location.  After  the implementation  of  the  mandatory  hallmarking  order,  the  number  of  BIS  Recognised  Assaying  and Hallmarking  Centres  have  increased  from  942  to  1374  in  the  span  of  1.5  years.  Further,  Govt.  also provides Central Assistance to prospective entrepreneurs for 'Setting  up  of  Gold  Assaying  and Hallmarking  Centres'  in  India  in  locations  where  no  Assaying  &  Hallmarking  Centre  (assisted  or otherwise) exists. BIS has also launched the scheme for setting up of Offsite centres (OSC) by the BIS recognised AHCs with the objective to provide the jewellers easy access to the hallmarking facility .