Easing the norms of Bureau of Indian Standards : Daily Current Affairs

Easing the norms of Bureau of Indian Standards

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In the 3rd Governing Council meeting of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), virtually presided over by Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Railways and Commerce & Industry on 1st March the process of making Indian Standards and their implementation was reviewed.

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The emphasis in the meeting was given to ‘One Nation One Standard’ and Indian standard should meet the international yardstick.

Along with three dimensions given by PM Modi for faster economic growth of SPEED, SKILL and SCALE, another fourth dimension of STANDARD was added to it.

To encourage ease of doing business it was proposed that the testing fee of initial years should be less and more testing labs should be set up by BIS so that new entrepreneurs don’t have to travel to far off places. This would encourage MSMEs, Start-Ups and Women entrepreneurs and will also motivate them to easily get their product certified.

BIS has also been given directives to create Customer Charter so as to bring transparency in its certification process and inspections.

Stress was given that the Indian manufactured products should meet the international standards whether they are being produced for local markets or international level.

BIS has been instructed to speed up its process of setting new standards and review and revise the existing standards. The Bureau of Indian Standard has already prepared various Indian Standards akin to the International Standards such as the Electric vehicles, Fuel blends, Smart City Digital Infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Manufacturing, etc.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) came into existence, through an act of parliament dated 26 November 1986, on 1 April 1987, with a broadened scope and more powers taking over the staff, assets, liabilities and functions of erstwhile ISI. Through this change over, the government envisaged building a climate for quality culture and consciousness and greater participation of consumers in formulation and implementation of national standards.

The Bureau is a Body Corporate consisting of 25 members representing both Central and State governments, Members of Parliament, industry, scientific and research institutions, consumer organizations and professional bodies; with Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution as its President and with Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution as its Vice-President.

BIS, headquartered at New Delhi, is the National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016 for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

BIS has been providing traceability and tangibility benefits to the national economy in a number of ways – providing safe reliable quality goods; minimizing health hazards to consumers; promoting exports and imports substitute; control over proliferation of varieties etc. through standardization, certification and testing.