BIS must develop new standards fast, says Minister Joshi

New Delhi: Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday asked Bureau of India Standards (BIS) to develop new standards expeditiously and also modernise testing labs for ensuring quality products and services to people.

He said that the BIS has been regulating the quality standards eco-system in an efficient manner, but now it should also focus on creating an enabling environment where the manufacturing industry itself do not make products below certain standards.

Addressing the 79th foundation day of the BIS here, Joshi said, "The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, is committed to ensuring that every citizen of India has access to safe, reliable and high-quality products and services." He noted that the BIS role is very important in achieving this objective.

"The BIS Mark has become a symbol of trust across multiple sectors, promoting growth in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. BIS has been instrumental in shaping the country's quality landscape. Since its inception in 1947, the BIS has evolved into a robust institution that formulates, implements and promotes the standards across the diverse sectors," Joshi observed. The minister highlighted that the Modi government brought a new BIS Act 2016, which established the bureau as the national standards body of India. The Act provides for high quality products and services to consumers by preventing the manufacturing and import of substandard products.