Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 passed by Lok Sabha
A Bill to extend the ambit of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to include services, processes and products while ensuring production of world class goods in line with the best global practices was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015, adopted by a voice vote, proposes to make BIS a national standards body, introduce mandatory hallmarking of precious metal, prevent misuse of Standard marks and provide for recall of ISI marked products not conforming to relevant standards.
Once the Bill is approved by Parliament, the BIS would get the legislative backing to formally represent India abroad. At present, the BIS is not formally recognised as a national standards body of the country, though it has been representing India in various international bodies.
After becoming law, the bill will allow multiple types of conformity assessment schemes in tune with global best practices, said the statement of objects. The Bill will also empower the Centre to authorise any other agency having necessary accreditation for the purpose of conformity assessment against Indian standards.
Objectives:
- To establish the Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India;
- The Bureau to perform its functions through a Governing Council, which will consist of its President and other members;
- To include goods, services and systems, besides articles and processes under the standardization regime;
- To enable the Government to bring under the mandatory certification regime such article, process or service which it considers necessary from the point of view of health, safety, environment, prevention of deceptive practices, security etc. This will help consumers receive ISI certified products and will also help in prevention of import of sub-standard products;
- To allow multiple types of simplified conformity assessment schemes including Self Declaration Of Conformity (SDOC) against any standard which will give multiple simplified options to manufacturers to adhere to standards and get a certificate of conformity, thus improving the "ease of doing business";
- To enable the Central Government to appoint any authority, in addition to the Bureau of Indian Standards, to verify the conformity of products and services to a standard and issue certificate of conformity;
- To enable the Government to implement mandatory hallmarking of precious metal articles;
- To strengthen penal provisions for better and effective compliance and enable compounding of offences for violations;
- To provide recall, including product liability of products bearing the Standard Mark, but not conforming to relevant Indian Standards; and
- Repeal of the BIS Act, 1986.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) :
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body has been successfully promoting and nurturing standards movement within the country since 1947. BIS came into existence on 01 April 1987 through an Act of Parliament dated 26 November 1986. It took over the staff, assets, liabilities and functions of the erstwhile Indian Standards Institution (ISI) with an enlarged scope and enhanced powers for harmonious development of activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
BIS is involved in various activities as given below :
- Standards Formulation
- Certification : Product, Hallmarking and Systems
- Foreign Manufacturers Scheme
- Registration Scheme
- Testing & Calibration Services
- Sale of Indian Standards and other publications
- International Activities
- I-Care Activities (for consumer and industry)
- Promotional Activities
- Training Services
- Information services
- Financial: Resources - Mobilization and utilization
- Trade Facilitation Cell
- Library Services
BIS has its Headquarters at New Delhi and its 05 Regional Offices (ROs) are at Kolkata (Eastern), Chennai (Southern), Mumbai (Western), Chandigarh (Northern) and Delhi (Central).
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ZSI Centenary commemorative stamp released
A Commemorative Postage Stamp to mark the Centenary year of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was released by Union Cabinet Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, on 03 Dec 2015 in New Delhi.
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) was established on 1st July, 1916 to promote survey, exploration and research leading to the advancement in our knowledge of various aspects of exceptionally rich life of the erstwhile 'British Indian Empire.'
In last 100 years, the national organisation has emerged as a repository of knowledge with 4.5 million specimen of animals and 97,000 species of which 5,000 are new to science.
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Justice Thakur sworn in as Chief Justice of India
Justice Tirath Singh Thakur was sworn in as 43rd Chief Justice of India by President Pranab Mukherjee in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.
The senior-most judge of the apex court, 63-year old Justice Thakur took over from incumbent Justice H L Dattu who retired on Wednesday.
Just. Thakur would have the tenure as CJI for a little over one year and would retire on January 4, 2017.
CJI Appointment:
The name of the senior most judge of the supreme court is nominated to the President. After consulting, the President appoints him as a Chief Justice of India.
Qualifications:
1. He should be an Indian citizen.
2. He should have served as judge for five years in supreme court.
3. He should have served as judge for five years in high court.
4. He should have served as an advocate for ten years in high court.
5. He should be senior most judge in supreme court
Once appointed, the Chief Justice remains in office for a period of 5 years or until his retirement or whichever is earlier, or unless removed by impeachment
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