DPIIT notifies Quality Control Orders for Resin treated compressed wood laminates and Insulated Flask, Bottles and Containers for Domestic Use
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry has notified 2 new Quality Control
Orders (QCOs) for ‘Resin treated compressed wood laminates’ and ‘Insulated
Flask, Bottles and Containers for Domestic Use’, on 14th July 2023. The QCOs
will come into force six months from the date of notification. In addition to
development of a quality ecosystem in India, these QCOs will also ensure public
health and safety of the consumers.
The QCO for ‘Resin treated compressed wood laminates’
mandates compulsory certification under IS Standard for ‘Resin treated
compressed wood laminates (compregs)- for electrical, chemical and general
purposes’ for the products manufactured for domestic market or imported into
India.
The QCO for ‘Insulated Flask, Bottles and Containers for
Domestic Use’ mandates compulsory certification under IS Standards for
‘Insulated Flask for Domestic Use’, ‘Domestic Stainless steel vacuum
flask/bottle’ and ‘Insulated Container for Food Storage’, for the products
manufactured for domestic market or imported into India.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, while emphasizing on the
importance of manufacturing quality products said, “With our people’s ability
and the nation’s credibility, Indian products of top quality will travel far
and wide. This will also be a true tribute to the ethos of Aatmanirbhar Bharat-
a force multiplier for global prosperity”.
In pursuance of the same, DPIIT is on a mission mode to
establish a quality control regime in the country. Various initiatives
including the development of QCO are being undertaken by the Department to
develop quality sensitization amongst users and manufacturers alike.
While Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Standards are
voluntary in nature, QCO is a mandatory certification scheme, whereby
compliance to specified list of Indian Standards applicable to the concerned
product is made compulsory by the Central Government. The objective of
notifying the QCOs is to help curb the imports of sub-standard products into
India, prevention of unfair trade practices and enhance quality of the
domestically manufactured products for the protection of human, animal or plant
health and safety of the environment.
QCOs shall not only improve the manufacturing quality
standards in the country but also enhance the brand and value of ‘Made in
India’ products. These initiatives, coupled with development quality testing
labs, product manuals etc. shall aid in the development of a quality ecosystem
in India.
DPIIT has been engaging with BIS continuously, leading to
the initiation of development of 64 new QCOs covering 317 product standards.
Extensive stakeholder consultations with key industry associations and industry
members are being conducted for each QCO for their inputs/ comments.
Post the inclusion of comments from the industry, the
draft QCOs are approved by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry followed
by legal vetting by the Department of Legislative Affairs. Subsequently, the
QCOs are uploaded on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) website for 60 days,
inviting comments from WTO member countries.
In order to safeguard the domestic micro and small
industries, ensure smooth implementation of the QCO and Ease of Doing Business,
relaxations have been granted to Micro and Small Industries in terms of
timeline for implementation of the QCO.
With the implementation of the QCOs, manufacturing,
storing and sale of non-BIS certified products will be prohibited as per the
BIS Act, 2016. The violation of the provision of the BIS Act can attract a
penalty of imprisonment upto two years or with 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.
With the aforementioned initiatives, the Government of
India aims to develop world-class products of good quality in India, thereby
fulfilling the Prime Ministers’ vision of creating an “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”.