Gold Jewellery May Have Code for Purity

The government today said it has not yet taken a final decision on its proposal to introduce a nine-digit alphanumeric identity code for every gold jewellery manufactured in India, to fix purity and traceability.

"The government is actively considering a proposal under which all Hallmarking and Assaying centres will assign a unique nine character code to the jewellery for purity and traceability. No final decision has been taken," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Raosaheb Patil Danve said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The minister, in reply to a query, said the government was aware of incidents of impurity/adulteration in gold being sold in the market despite the presence of the hallmarking system in the country.

The hallmarking of gold, which is voluntary in nature at present, is a purity certification of the metal. At present, organised retailers sell ornaments with the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) hallmark at a premium to local jewellers.

Introduction of an alphanumeric code is aimed at helping fix a uniform standard for gold ornaments and make these resalable at a uniform price. Currently, prices vary from one jeweller to another and so do ornaments' resale value.

BIS has issued around 14,000 licences to assayers and certification agencies so far.