Govt harmonising quality norms to curb substandard goods, protect MSMEs: Joshi

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said the government is working to harmonise Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for mandatory certification to check the circulation of substandard goods while being mindful of the MSME sector's requirements.

Speaking at the World Standards Day 2025 celebration organised by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution emphasised that BIS must strike a sustainable balance between these objectives.

In his virtual address, the minister urged BIS to fast-track the development of standards, particularly in national priority areas, to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.

He also called for strengthened consumer outreach initiatives to ensure citizens in both urban and rural areas understand the importance of standards.

Joshi reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for "zero defect and zero effect", promoting products that are flawless in quality and harmless to the environment, an official statement said.

"Bharat must be recognised globally for its quality and Indian standards should become synonymous with international standards," he said.

Highlighting India's economic progress, the minister said that over the past 11 years, the country's economy has risen from the 10th position to the 4th, driven by the government's philosophy of "Reform, Perform, and Transform". India is now moving towards becoming the third-largest economy by 2028, he added.

Currently, over 22,300 standards are in force, with 94 per cent harmonised with ISO and IEC standards. The number of new standards formulated has increased from 407 in 2014 to 1,038 in 2025. Products under mandatory certification have grown from 106 under 14 QCOs in 2014 to 773 products under 191 QCOs in 2025.

The minister commended BIS for its hallmarking initiative, stating that HUID-marked jewellery has set new benchmarks in consumer protection and trust.

Minister of State for Consumer Affairs B L Verma lauded the contributions of experts driving India's standardisation movement and applauded the "Standardisation Heroes of India" for ensuring balanced development of standards and certifications.

The event saw the launch of several initiatives, including the National Lighting Code of India: 2025, which addresses advancements such as the transition to LEDs, IoT-enabled smart systems, and renewable energy integration. The revised code, organised into 16 parts, covers specialised lighting for tunnels, heritage sites, healthcare, and horticulture.

A pilot project for capturing photographs and weights of hallmarked jewellery across 25 Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (AHCs) was also launched.

The initiative aims to enhance transparency by digitally recording details of each hallmarked item on the BIS portal, which consumers can verify through the BIS Care mobile application.

Other launches included the integration of over 180 laboratory instruments with the BIS Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to automate data transfer and reduce human intervention, and a Learning Management System (LMS) offering online certificate courses on Indian Standards and conformity assessment procedures. PTI LUX ANU