look news india
Ahmedabad: India currently has mandatory hallmarking of the precious metal gold, but there is no mandatory hallmarking rule for silver. Certification of silver currently depends on the wishes of the customers or traders. However, the government is soon considering making Holmkage mandatory for silver also.
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said in a statement on Monday that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) should consider making ‘Holmkg’ mandatory for silver and silver articles as per consumer demand.
Joshi said at the 78th BIS Foundation Day function that there is consumer demand for silver ‘Holmkag’. BIS should seriously consider this and send the final proposal to the government, we will welcome every suggestion in the interest of the customer.
Joshi said work in this direction has already started and the government will take a final decision after discussing with stakeholders and completing the feasibility assessment by BIS. We have asked BIS to explore its feasibility, work on it and take feedback from customers and jewelery dealers. We will consult all the stakeholders and later start the process and reach the final conclusion.
At present, certifying the purity of white metal depends on the wishes of the shopkeeper or customer. BIS Director General Pramod Kumar Tiwari said the bureau could be ready to implement the mandatory silver ‘Holmkg’ in three to six months. A six-digit ‘alphanumeric code’ is under discussion. The move follows the successful implementation of the mandatory gold ‘Holmakag’ launched in June, 2021, which has now been extended to 361 districts. Holmac aims to protect the interests of consumers and ensure the authenticity of valuable products.
He said that currently 90 percent of the jewelery being purchased in the market has holes. More than 44.28 crore gold jewelery has been ‘hallmarked’ with unique identification.
