Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Celebrates 25 Years of Gold Hallmarking at GJS, Announces - Hackathon in Collaboration with BIS and GJC

NewsVoir
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 9: The Indian gems and jewellery industry witnessed a momentous occasion as Pralhad Joshi, Hon'ble Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Minister of New & Renewable Energy, graced the prestigious India Gem & Jewellery Show (GJS) at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. The event also marked the 25th anniversary of hallmarking of gold in India, a significant milestone in ensuring quality, transparency, and consumer trust in the industry. The show is organised by the apex industry All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) and scheduled from 4th to 7th April 2025.
Addressing the gathering, Pralhad Joshi applauded the efforts of jewellers in adopting hallmarking, which has played a crucial role in protecting consumer interests while strengthening India's position as a trusted market for gold jewellery. He highlighted the government's commitment to further streamlining hallmarking regulations to make compliance easier for jewellers and beneficial for consumers. Prominent jewellers and trade representatives took the stage to celebrate the success of hallmarking, reflecting on how the initiative has safeguarded buyers and boosted India's exports in the global jewellery market.
The event saw participation from leading jewellers, industry stakeholders, and international visitors, making it a highly successful gathering.
At the GJS event, Pralhad Joshi remarked, "Indian Gems & Jewellery industry has been a cornerstone of our nation's heritage and will continue to drive the economic progress. There are 650 + owned and accredited Laboratories of BIS, and it has reached every corner of the nation to focus in ensuring quality products are given to the consumers. It is imperative that we develop the system to ensure there are no misuses of HUID and collectively with joint efforts from all stakeholders, we also focus on increasing the Assaying Hallmarking Centres (AHC) across India. Currently 361 districts are covered in the mandatory regime and let us jointly target to reach 500 districts this year. We firmly believe in Honourable Prime Minister's vision of ease of business and the Ministry is willing to provide its full support to the industry and I am happy to announce that BIS in collaboration with GJC is launching National Hackathon to invite innovative and practical solutions to develop scalable, cost-effective & non-destructive testing for the gold jewellery."
Rajesh Rokde, Chairman, GJC, remarked, "It is with immense pride and gratitude that we welcome Pralhad Joshi, to this grand occasion. Your presence reflects the government's continued support for our industry, and we deeply thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us. We, as an industry, take immense pride in our transparency and the legacy of trust that our gold, vouched for by generations, represents. Today, we look forward to the government recognizing us with a fresh perspective-as a trading community with a positive attitude and a vision to make hallmarking mandatory across the nation. Honourable Minister's announcement of Hackathon today marks a new chapter in our journey, and we are extremely positive about the future. Together, we will continue to uphold purity, trust, and innovation for a brighter tomorrow."
Avinash Gupta, Vice Chairman, GJC, commented, "On behalf of the GJC and the entire G&J Industry, we express our heartfelt gratitude to Pralhad Joshi for celebrating 25 years of gold hallmarking in India with his esteemed presence at our exhibition GJS. His presence highlights the transformation of the Gem & Jewellery industry into a trusted and well-structured sector. We deeply appreciate his announcement of the groundbreaking hackathon with GJC and BIS, aimed at developing non-destructive testing for hallmarking jewellery. This initiative will revolutionize the industry, enhancing efficiency and consumer confidence. His support inspires us to make India a global leader in the Gems & Jewellery sector. Thank you for your invaluable contributions toward a brighter future."
Saiyam Mehra, Convenor, GJS, said, "It is my distinct honour to welcome Pralhad Joshi, Hon'ble Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Minister of New & Renewable Energy, to the grand occasion of GJS 2025. This is truly a special moment for the 7th edition of GJS as we celebrate the 25 years of hallmarking in India with the Honourable Minister. As we move forward, this milestone reminds us of our collective responsibility to uphold the values of purity and trust, ensuring continued prosperity for both jewellers and consumers."
All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council is a national trade council established with the objective to address the industry, its functioning, and its cause with a 360° approach to promote and progress its growth, while protecting the industry's interests. As a self-regulated trade body, GJC, since the last 19 years, has been serving as a bridge between the Government and the trade as well as undertaking various initiatives on behalf of and for the industry.
For further information, please feel free to contact All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC): Pratik Joshi: 8433989682
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