Jewellers end strike on promise of duty roll back

"The finance minister has assured (us) that whatever best is possible will be done," said a member of the jewellers delegation who met Mukherjee at his North Block office.

Jewellers have been striking since Mukherjee in the union budget on March 16 proposed one per cent excise duty on unbranded jewellery and doubled the import duty to 4 per cent on gold.

Official sources said the government was likely to roll back the one percent excise duty imposed on unbranded jewellery. u00a0However, there was no official announcement in this regard as the decision on roll back has to be taken by parliament.