Mumbai: All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF), the national nodal and the largest single trade body in India for the promotion and growth of trade in gems and jewellery across India, has introduced a first-of-its-kind Jewellers Identity Card (JID), a unique and smart identity card establishing the credential and legitimate business undertaking of its member jewelers and their employees. Union Minister Shri Kalraj Mishra will unveil the same on February 21, 2015 on the occasion of annual GJF event – National Jewellery Awards 2015 in Mumbai.
JID is a unique identification credential for people working in the domestic gems and jewellery sector at the time of movement within and outside the city, state or inside the country with precious and semi-precious jewellery, gold and diamond. GJF’s Founder / Life Members/ 5-year members and they can nominate / recommend their employees / personnel. Individuals who meet JID eligibility requirements will be issued in a tamper-resistant credential with hologram (so that no counterfeiting will not be possible easily) containing the employee’s professional details to allow for a positive link between the card and the individual and privacy of data will be taken care.
Mr. Haresh Soni, Chairman, GJF, said, “GJF’s JID is aimed to provide comfort to all constituents of the national gems & jewellery trade particularly to small jewellers to avoid various hardships faced by them in establishing their credentials to Government authorities. GJF’s JID is an ideal solution to the problems faced by the jewellery carriers with respect to establishing their bonafide identity and association with the gems & jewellery sector and the Federation. JID will also be useful for identification of the persons internally i.e. within the trade whenever the person travels to another entities for giving or collecting the goods. And the entire programme is credible because has the support of the Union Government.”
Mr. G. V. Sreedhar, Director, GJF, added, “The JID programme initiated by GJF has been recognized, supported and endorsed by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Union Ministry Ministry. GJF’s JID provides various value additions such as access to a 24 hour dedicated helpline in case of emergencies. GJF has tied with Assist America (AA) to provide prime identity of JID holder and offer emergency medical assistance and transportation under medical supervision, etc. JID will also offer additional value additions in terms of access to hospitals, hotels, restaurants and other utility service venues.”
The JID card will be used as a proof for identity only, of his association with his industry. Thus, the card holder does not justify the validity of the goods being carried by such person, and such person is expected to carry all the necessary documents and proofs required for the verification of the source and destination of goods carried by him. The vetting of card and verification of information by the authorities is proposed to be done in 2 ways: Physical Check; Photo Verification; Signature Verification; Valid Expiration Date; Check for any Tampering; Police Verification or Court verification. On the Technological Check, it will leverage website; 24 x 7 Call Centre; and by Mobile App.
GJF has conceived JID specifically for the Gems & Jewellery sector, which has undergone a virtual transformation in terms of the emergence of jewellery brands and designs, retail revolution, etc.
With changing situations, the Jeweller has become more specialized and sophisticated with the emergence of focused, separate manufacturing and marketing units. This results in significant movement of the goods both from the manufacturing locations to the marketing centres and between marketing centre’s, grading laboratories/ hall marking centres. This not only increases the risk to stakeholders but also increase the exposure of the carriers (Employers, logistics companies, Angadias, Representatives of Jewellers, etc.) to the various authorities who are responsible for the administration/ tax collection/ vigilance in the country.
Various problems are faced by the jewellers especially in transit for the movement of gems & jewellery, precious metals due to identity problems during checks at Transit points, Public Places, Road Blocks (Naka Bandi), Tariff Barriers and checking conducted by other Statutory Authorities/ Officials; Jewellers find that their representatives are being detained by the authorities either at airport/ railway/bus stations etc.
At times even on the carrier indicating their bonafide, the authorities, insist on opening the bags where these precious materials are kept in public domain/ places thereby causing significant risk to the material and the person carrying the goods; Even if the person carrying such goods produces all the related documentation, records, etc. the authorities insist on detaining the person for want of proper identity proof, thereby causing untold hardship to the person and putting the goods to significant risk.
