Mandatory Hallmarking from 1st June, 2021

Year End Review 2020 of Consumer Affairs 

Year End Review 2020-(Department of Consumer Affairs) Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is being presented with the major highlights. The major & selected parts of the highlights of the Department of Consumer Affairs during the year 2020 are as follows:

I. Consumer Protection:  

A: The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which has replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 were notified in July, 2020.  The relevant Rules and Regulations, including the E-Commerce Rules, which specify the duties and obligations of sellers and e-commerce entities, were also notified. 

B: With the notification of rules, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to regulate matters relating to violation of rights of consumers, unfair trade practices and false or misleading advertisements and to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class has become functional. 

C:  In pursuance of Rule 8 of the Consumer Protection (Consumer disputes Redressal Commission) Rules, 2020, an online portal https://edaakhil.nic.in has been launched on September 7, 2020 for electronic filing of consumer cases in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

II. Ease of Doing Business:

A: During Covid-19, in order to protect the interest of consumers, advisory was issued extending for a period of six months in two phases, the time allowed for verification and stamping of weights and measures. B: Due to prevalent condition of Covid-19, manufacturers/ packers were allowed to utilise the packaging material / wrapper with pre-printed date of manufacturing up to 30.09.2020 which could not be exhausted within the time limit prescribed under Rules.

C: Due to extraordinary situation of lockdown for containment of Covid-19 spread and to ease out the difficulties of industry, BIS gave temporary relaxations in the provisions of BIS Regulations, Schemes and Guidelines including providing special benefits of approximately 54.38 crores for the licensees of BIS from MSME manufacturing sector through rebates and reduction in application fees. 

D: An online system of registration and renewal of jewelers and online system of recognition and renewal of recognition of Assaying and Hallmarking centres was launched. 

E: Renewal of License under EC Act- To mitigate the concerns regarding requirement of annual/periodic renewal of license under EC Act and improve ease of doing business, as well as to provide thrust to ‘Make in India’, all the administrative Ministries/Departments concerned have issued necessary orders to ensure the validity of licenses would be for at least five years from the date of issue of existing license.

III: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS): 

a: In line with the Government’s vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat and Ease of Doing Business for various stakeholders such as consumers, industry, laboratories, etc. 

BIS has actively progressed towards automating all its activities through development and implementation of software applications/online portals under the e-BIS project.

b: The e-BIS has been envisaged encompassing all activities of BIS and with advanced features like data analytics, artificial intelligence, better MIS for effective monitoring, user-friendly interfaces, etc. 

c: A Standards Portal has been developed for digitization of the Standards formulation process. The portal has made standards accessible and free to the stakeholders. d: Quality Control Order for mandatory Hallmarking of Gold Hallmarking and Gold Artefacts order, 2020 was notified making hallmarking of Gold jewellery and artifacts mandatory in the country which shall come into effect from 1st June, 2021.