August 9, 2023.

A meeting on the restructuring of BIS standards chaired by Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal was attended by Rakesh Behl and Dilbagh Singh from the Jalandhar Rubber Goods Manufacturers Association. Rakesh Behl, while raising the voice of the footwear industry, said there was no awareness of the BIS department among the tiny, micro, and small industries.

The representatives of the association suggested to the ministry that more awareness was required among micro and small industries regarding BIS regulations on quality. The association also held that the manufacturers are positive over compliance and for that the government should establish laboratories at subsidized rates for micro and small industries to appraise and improve their products.

Behl said Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the BIS would hold workshops and instructed the Bureau of Indian Standards to install 100 labs by December 2023 and 500 labs by 2024.

"The minister told the Jalandhar industry that sub-standard footwear products manufactured will not be allowed, they have to improve their products to the minimum required standards so that consumers are not betrayed", Behal said.