In a bid to encourage MSMEs, startups, and women entrepreneurs in India, the charges for testing quality of products should be reduced, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal said. The Minister said that once the charges are minimised, it will help them to get their products certified and meet standard norms. Goyal said this at the 3rd Governing Council meeting of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). During his address, Goyal said that there is a need to change the approach of the country towards standardisation and instructed BIS to create a customer charter to usher in highest transparency in its certification process and inspections.
The Minister added saying that the fee for testing of standards should be reduced drastically ‘throughout’ for the MSMEs and in the initial years for the startups and for women entrepreneurs. Goyal said that this will encourage them to get their products certified and also encourage the ease of doing business. During his address, Goyal said that it is a challenge for BIS to fast track the standard setting processes, especially for these programmes of national priority.
BIS must therefore ensure that its technical Committees develop the required new standards in the quickest possible time for products where presently none exist, or review and revise existing standards whenever required, the minister said. Goyal reviewed the process of making Indian Standards and their implementation with officials from BIS, different ministries and regulators, among others.
Goyal directed the BIS to go in for massive expansion and modernisation of testing labs so that entrepreneurs don’t have to travel far to get the testing and certification of standards. Talking about PM Narendra Modi’s mantras for economic development, Goyal said, “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the three mantra for faster economic development i.e. Speed, Skill and Scale. Now it is time to add fourth dimension of ”Standard” in to this”.