BIS makes 80% concession on certification/marking fee for micro scale units

In an effort to promote quality culture in micro-scale units, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will provide an 80 per cent concession on the certification/minimum marking fee across various product certification schemes of BIS. Additionally, units located in the North-East will continue to receive an extra 10 per cent concession.

The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, Piyush Goyal, chaired a review meeting of BIS activities on Friday and directed the standards authority to take up further activities.

The meeting was also attended by the secretary of consumer affairs, the director general of BIS and other officials of the consumer affairs department and BIS. 

BIS has been directed to augment the testing infrastructure in the country and increase the frequency of product testing and market surveillance depending on the criticality of components used for consumer safety. 

The minister also directed BIS to increase the frequency of lab inspection. He said that BIS shall enhance market surveillance for different products such as pressure cooker, helmets, and other consumer products to ensure product safety and to bring quality consciousness in the country.

BIS shall map standards against various government schemes and produce booklets in simple and local languages to enhance accessibility and develop a culture of quality consciousness among citizens.

"We are committed to ensuring that all products in India meet the highest quality and safety standards. These measures shall promote microscale units, enhance the testing infrastructure, and develop a culture of quality consciousness among citizens," Goyal said.

BIS has proposed Quality Control Orders (QCO) for 663 products in the coming time. Currently, there are 462 products covered under QCOs.

 It shall also involve college students/NCC Cadets/Scouts in their efforts to develop quality consciousness and culture in the country, the standards authority said in a statement. 

Also, from 1st April 2023, the sale of only gold jewellery with HUID shall be permitted, it said.