The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) likely to be attached with department of commerce

    Synopsis

    The commerce ministry argues that since BIS is related to framing quality standards for goods services and items which broadly deal with commerce ministry, the department should be attached with commerce ministry.

    BIS---AgenciesAgencies
    Represenative image
    NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is increasingly being involved in prescribing quality norms for imports, may be shifted to the ministry of commerce and industry from the department of consumer affairs, official sources said.

    Officials are preparing a note for the Committee of Secretaries to take the proposal forward, they said.

    “BIS is likely to be attached with department of commerce as the national standard body has to function in close coordination with commerce ministry specially for making standards and quality norms for imported items,” said a senior consumer affairs ministry official.

    The commerce and industry ministry had proposed such a move earlier also. “But former consumer affairs minister late Ram Vilas Paswan never showed interest in it. Now that both the ministries are under cabinet minister Piyush Goyal, the proposal is likely to take shape fast,” the official said.

    The commerce ministry argues that since BIS is related to framing quality standards for goods services and items which broadly deal with commerce ministry, the department should be attached with commerce ministry.

    “We have assigned BIS for framing mandatory quality standards for 371imported items to imports of inferior quality. It will be better if BIS works closely with our ministry,” said an official.

    The consumer affairs ministry had earlier argued that BIS should not be shifted because it deals with general consumers and looks into related issues. “BIS has to deal with consumer complains. So it will be appropriate if it is attached with consumer affairs,” a consumer affairs official argued.


    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more
    The Economic Times

    Stories you might be interested in