The above is an article from Indian Express. Some important po | ECONOMY by VIVEK SINGH

The above is an article from Indian Express. Some important points:

1) Hallmarking has been made mandatory for Gold and silver jewellery and artfefacts. It has been made mandatory for traders with turnover of more than Rs. 40 lakhs in 256 districts right now. It will be increased in other districts with time. Right now only 30% of Indian gold jewellery is hallmarked. Level of hallmarking is low because of non-availability of enough hallmarking and assaying (quality check) centres.

2) Till now 3 categories of gold is hallmarked based on purity - 22 carat, 18 carat and 14 carats. But now govt has announced three additional categories will also be hallmarked - 20, 23 and 24 carats of gold.

3) BIS implements gold and silver hallmarking scheme in India.

4)BIS is the National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016 for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods. BIS has been providing traceability and tangibility benefits to the national economy in a number of ways – providing safe reliable quality goods; minimizing health hazards to consumers; promoting exports and imports substitute; control over proliferation of varieties etc. through standardization, certification and testing.

5) BIS certification is mandatory for various kinds of products like toys, bicycle, cement, pipe, paper, cattle feed, cooker, gas stove etc.....