One Nation One Standard, BIS "EMPOWER IAS"

In news:

• It’s time to embark on Mission “One Nation One Standard” and make India the leader in setting global benchmarks in setting standards, highlighted the Food and Consumer Affairs Minister.

One Nation One Standard

• The purpose of setting standards and enforcing them is not to bring back “inspection raj” but to ensure that quality products are made available to consumers.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the only national body that frames standards, has come out with more than 20,000 standards for various products and services so far.
• Besides this, there are about 50-odd agencies that have framed about 400 standards in the country.
• There are multiple standards in the country for a single product/service. The new mission is to converge such standards with the BIS.

 

Main objectives:

• No one should feel the need to go abroad to get the quality certification.
• Lab testing in India should be of world standards. Modern equipment and the latest technologies would be used there.

 

Why such a move?

• Having uniform national standards will help in making it mandatory for more products.
• The government proposes to set Indian standards in line with the global benchmarks, just like other countries enforce their standards on imported products.
• The Centre, through this move, wants foreign goods coming into India to comply with Indian standards.

 

What is it?

• The ‘One Nation One Standard’ Mission was first deliberated in September, 2019.
• The mission was envisioned on the line of ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme in order to ensure quality products in the country.
• The purpose is to converge multiple standards with the BIS which is a recognised national body for standardisation in India.

 

Need for:

• The strength and character of a nation is often exemplified by the standards it sets for the quality of its products and services.
• Bringing a national uniformity and standardization in all kinds of public procurement and tendering can be an immediate deliverable.
• The uniform national standards will help in making it mandatory for more products.

 

About the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS):

• BIS is the only national body that frames standards.
• It works under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India.
• BIS is responsible for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

 

The Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) Act 2016 establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.

• The Act enables the Central Government to appoint any authority/agency, in addition to the BIS, to verify the conformity of products and services with the established standard and issue certificate of conformity.
• There is a provision for repair or recall, of the products (bearing Standard Mark) that do not conform to the relevant Indian Standard.