Govt rolls out mandatory quality norms

New Delhi The government on Wednesday said it has issued mandatory quality norms for insulated flask, bottles and containers with a view to containing import of the sub-standard goods and boost domestic manufacturing of these products.

A notification in this regard was issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on July 14. These items - resin-treated compressed wood laminates and insulated flask, bottles and containers for domestic use - under the quality control orders (QCO), cannot be produced, sold/traded, imported and stocked unless they bear the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) mark. Now, manufacturing, storing and sale of non-BIS certified products are prohibited as per the BIS Act, 2016. The violation of the provision of the BIS Act can attract a penalty of imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh for the first offence. In case of second and subsequent offences, the fine will increase to Rs 5 lakh minimum and extend up to ten times the value of goods or articles.