NEW DELHI: From April 1 2023, the sale of gold jewellery and gold artefacts without a six-digit alphanumeric HUID, or unique identification number, will not be allowed, according to the government.
The decision has been made to ensure quality culture in micro-sale units, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.
"It has been determined that the BIS will grant an 80% concession on the certification/minimum marking charge across various product certification schemes to encourage quality culture in micro-scale units."
The choice was made following a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) review meeting that was presided over by Minister Piyush Goyal of the Union Cabinet on March 3, 2023.
According to Nidhi Khare, the additional secretary in charge of consumer affairs, "it has been decided that after March 31st, the sale of gold jewellery and gold artefacts hallmarked without HUID will not be permitted in the interest of customers."
She stated that both the four- and six-digit HUIDs are currently in use.
Due to consumer demand for high-quality goods, she claimed, hallmarked gold jewellery is being sold all over the country, including in areas where it is not yet required.
Gold is certified as pure by the hallmarking process.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mandated the mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts in June 2021.
Following that, the government made the decision to introduce required gold hallmarking gradually.
It was made required in 256 districts in the first stage, and 32 additional districts were added in the second step, bringing the total to 288 districts.
There will be 51 more districts added.
An alphanumeric code with six digits containing both numbers and letters is called a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number. It was initially released on July 1, 2021.
Every item of jewellery will receive a HUID at the moment of hallmarking, and each one is different.
Also Watch: