Steel Ministry today announced setting up of a special committee on issues related to the Stainless Steel Quality Control (QC) Order, 2016 and assured industry bodies to resolve the issue within next 10-15 days.
Various metal and stainless steel industry associations today met Steel Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh requesting him to intervene and to put quality control order at abeyance, a joint statement said.
The members of Metal and Stainless Steel Merchant's Association (MSSMA), All India Stainless Steel Industries Association (AISSIA) and Process Plant & Machinery Association of India (PPMAI) also urged the Minister to call an open house with industry representatives for discussions, it added.
Singh assured the delegation that he will not allow any kind of monopoly being created in the stainless steel flat products space, the statement said.
"The Union Minister announced setting up of a special committee to resolve this issue within next 10-15 days," it added.
In the meeting, the industry bodies put forth their grievances against the BIS order and urged the Minister to suspend the same till all the parameters are not fulfilled by BIS.
To check the sale of defective and sub-standard stainless steel products used for making utensils and various kitchen appliances, the Steel Ministry in June issued a Quality Control order to help filter imports of the metal.
The associations have also written to the Prime Minister to intervene and keep the quality control order in abeyance as well as convene an open house with representatives of the industry for discussion before implementing it.
According to the industry bodies, the QC order makes it mandatory to register with BIS and prohibits manufacturing, import, storage, sale and distribution of stainless steel products by trade and industry without such registration.
The order will lead to closure of thousands of SSI units throughout the country and leave lakhs jobless, they have feared.
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