NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday longer extended the deadline for compulsory hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts with a fortnight until June 15 in light of this Covid-19 pandemic. The conclusion in this regard was taken at a meeting chaired by user affairs minister Piyush Goyal. In November 2019the authorities had declared that hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts could be made compulsory across the nation in January 15, 2021. On the other hand, the deadline had been extended for four weeks until June 1 later jewellers hunted longer in light of the outbreak. Gold hallmarking is a marvel certification of this precious metal and can be voluntary in character currently. “In opinion of Covid, the authorities announced the petition of stakeholders to provide jewellers more time to become ready for implementation and solve dilemmas,” an official announcement said. Hallmarking of gold jewelry is set to start from June 15. Before, it had been anticipated to be implemented by June 1, 2021, it included. A committee, led by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Director General Pramod Tewari, was shaped to ensure appropriate coordination and solve the implementation difficulties. The committee would also include Nidhi Khare, further secretary, department of consumer affairs and agents of jewellers institutions, commerce and hallmarking bodies, amongst others. Speaking on the occasion, the Union stated”India has to possess the world’s finest standards in golden jewelry” The hallmarking of all jewellery/artefacts is needed to improve the trustworthiness of gold jewelry and client satisfaction during third party assurance because of its noticeable purity/fineness of gold, customer protection, ” he explained. “This measure will also help develop India as a major gold market centre in the entire world,” he added. By June 15, jewellers will be permitted to sell just 14, 18 and 22 carats of silver jewelry. The BIS was conducting a hallmarking strategy for gold jewelry since April 2000. Approximately 40 percent of gold jewelry has been hallmarked now. The authorities said there was 25 percent boost in assaying and hallmarking centres to 945 out of 454 in the past five decades. Currently, 940 assaying and hallmarking facilities are surgical. Out of the 84 centers are installed under the government subsidy strategy in a variety of districts. About 14 crore content may be hallmarked at annually using the present ability of these centers, it included. India has approximately 4 lakh jewellersout of which just 35,879 are BIS certified, according to the World Gold Council. According to BIS, the compulsory hallmarking will safeguard the general public against reduced caratage and make sure customers don’t get duped while purchasing gold decorations and receive the purity as noticeable on the decorations. India imports 700-800 tonnes of gold every year.