New Delhi: The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) northern region chairman Anil Sankhwal said that shortage of centres to assay the gold being put on deposit is a problem that the government has agreed to address.
Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs vice-chairman and CEO of P Jewellers Rahul Gupta said they requested the finance ministry to allow jewellers registered with BIS to act as collection point for gold.
“If the 13,000 BIS-certified jewellers are allowed to act as collection agents, then I am hopeful that the scheme will take off in a good way,” said Mr Sankhwal. He said economic affairs secretary has asked BIS to speed up the process of registration of jewellers as collection agents and give out the licences within 15 days.
There are some 3.5 lakh jewellers in the country of which 13,000 are BIS-certified. According to official estimates around 20,000 tonnes of gold worth over Rs 52 lakh crore is lying idle with households and temples in the country.
Some 55 gold purity testing centres would come up by December, up from 29, at present, said government officials.
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