Page 12 - Bullion World Issue 7 November 2021

Bullion World | Issue 07 | November 2021

Challenges and

prospects in

HUID hallmarking

of jewellery

hubs like Mumbai, handicapped by the covid related
Kolkata, Chennai, lockdown and travel restrictions
Coimbatore, Trichur and hence the number of AHCs has
etc. And these not gone up even under mandatory
cities are covered hallmarking. Moreover the BIS and
under mandatory the Ministry has not relented to the
Mr. James Jose HM regime. Hence AHCs demand to increase the HM
President, Hallmarking Federation of India
hallmarked jewellery charge from Rs.35 per piece to
gets circulated to all Rs.75, to take care of the additional
The hallmarking unique id (HUID) districts in the country irrespective expense of HUID hallmarking. This
launched in India from 1st July of its status Vis a Vis mandatory has made the hallmarking business
2021 onwards is a milestone in gold districts. However jewellers in these unviable, leading to the slow growth
and silver hallmarking, ensuring non-mandatory districts need to of hallmarking infrastructure or
full traceability of each and every take BIS reign if they have to sell upgrading of existing facilities.
article hallmarked.. This centralized hallmarked jewellery. The old non hallmarked stock
software based scheme is basically lying at the shops continue to be
meant for process flow automation HUID hallmarking is now widely sold without HUID hallmarking
at the assay and hallmarking accepted by the trade and the and hence AHCs have not seen
centers (AHCs) and real time delivery time for HUID hallmarking a quantum jump in hallmarking
tracking of hallmarking process, has come down from the earlier volumes, as expected at the roll out
wherein a unique alpha numeric 72 hours to 48 hours and even period of mandatory hallmarking
code is generated from BIS server, 24 hours. The initial delays were regime
after completing all the mandatory mostly due to the hardware and
procedures of quality control and software issues of the HUID portal The biggest challenge in HUID
then laser marked on each article. of BIS, which is now getting sorted hallmarking is ensuring its
out. Moreover the AHCs have uniqueness i.e. Ensuring that the
Presently mandatory hallmarking recruited more manpower and HUID code is original and not
is introduced in the 256 districts installed additional machineries to duplicated, or that the process
of the country, which are having cater to the additional work load flow of quality control at AHCs
adequate hallmarking infrastructure. of HUID, especially in the Diwali is fully monitored on real time
That leaves the remaining 486 festival period. BIS has provided basis. Another challenge is for
districts or 65% of the districts extensive training to AHCs for the jewellers to ensure that the
in the country beyond the ambit familiarization with the HUID data jewellery they buy in hallmarked
of mandatory hallmarking. In uploading process condition from the distant
India, 80% of the jewellery is manufacturing locations carries
manufactured and supplied from The accreditation of new AHCs is a genuine HUID mark and specified
the major jewellery manufacturing time consuming process, presently gold content. Presently HUID is

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