Paswan asks BIS to further strengthen quality standards

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan Thursday asked the Bureau of Indian Standards to make all efforts in strengthening quality standards and help India become a manufacturing hub.

He was addressing the Governing Council of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Delivering his presidential address, Paswan mentioned some of the important provisions of the BIS Act 2016 aimed at further improving the effectiveness of its functioning.

The minister highlighted important enabling provisions in the new Act, such as to direct the licensee to recall non-conforming standard marked goods from the market, pay compensation to the consumer and manufacturers being liable for the injury caused to the consumer due to use of non-conforming standard marked products.

Another enabling provision has been included for compounding of offences.

Paswan said another provision that has significant public impact is making hallmarking of gold and silver jewellery items mandatory.

"As overall in-charge of Department of Consumer Affairs, I am fully conscious that BIS should play its role in protection of consumers. As I have been emphasizing earlier, I am happy to announce that the standard on gold was revised and published to include only three caratage i.e. 14, 18, 22 carat for hallmarking, which the common consumer could understand them better," an official statement quoted him as saying.

This is expected to avoid confusion amongst consumers and will also reduce chances of them being cheated, he added.

Paswan expressed his desire for India to be the top in the field of manufacturing and exhorted BIS to make all possible efforts in this direction.

Minister of State for Consumer Affairs C R Chaudhary asserted that implementation of standards should be the key focus area.