Lok Sabha Question No. 258 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-19
Subject: Mandatory Hallmarking
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNPURIA, SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 258

TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2016

## MANDATORY HALLMARKING

## 258. SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  for  mandatory  Hallmarking  of  gold  and silver items ;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  extent  to  which  it  is  likely  to  ensure  purity  of  the  items  made  from  these  precious metals;
- (d) whether the Government has set up recognized hallmarking centers across the country;
- (e) if so, the details thereof, State-wise; and
- (f) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

## THE MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

- (a) & (b) : The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016  has enabling provisions for  making hallmarking of precious metal articles mandatory by the Central Government.
- (c) : The  objective  of  the  hallmarking  scheme  is  to  ensure  purity  of  precious  metal articles.
- (d) to (f) : Madam,  no  hallmarking  centre  has  been  set  up  by  Central  Government  or  by Bureau of Indian Standards. Hallmarking centres are generally set up by private entrepreneurs. As on 30 th June 2016 there are 376 BIS recognized hallmarking centres across the country, state wise details of which are given in the Annexure.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (d)  to  (f)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.258  FOR  19.07.2016  REGARDING  MANDATORY HALLMARKING.

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The state wise distribution of the BIS recognized Assaying & Hallmarking Centres as on 30 th June 2016.

| Sl No.   | Name of State/UT   |   No. of Assaying &Hallmarking Centres |
|----------|--------------------|----------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Andhra Pradesh     |                                     20 |
| 2.       | Assam              |                                      2 |
| 3.       | Bihar              |                                      3 |
| 4.       | Chandigarh         |                                      3 |
| 5.       | Chhattisgarh       |                                      1 |
| 6.       | Delhi              |                                     31 |
| 7.       | Gujarat            |                                     37 |
| 8.       | Haryana            |                                      7 |
| 9.       | Jammu &Kashmir     |                                      2 |
| 10.      | Jharkhand          |                                      3 |
| 11.      | Karnataka          |                                     26 |
| 12.      | Kerala             |                                     39 |
| 13.      | Madhya Pradesh     |                                      7 |
| 14.      | Maharashtra        |                                     51 |
| 15.      | Odisha             |                                      7 |
| 16.      | Puducherry         |                                      1 |
| 17.      | Punjab             |                                     12 |
| 18.      | Rajasthan          |                                     16 |
| 19.      | Tamil Nadu         |                                     51 |
| 20.      | Telangana          |                                     10 |
| 21.      | Uttar Pradesh      |                                     16 |
| 22.      | West Bengal        |                                     31 |
|          | TOTAL              |                                    376 |

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