Topics Covered: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Toy traders want quality control order suspended:
Context:
The toy industry in India has asked the government to suspend a Quality Control Order (QCO) issued in February, for at least a year, failing which the industry would be forced to shut shop.
What’s the issue?
The complexity of Scheme-1 of the QCO and the challenges in adhering to its September 1, 2020 timeline “will have a devastating impact” on the industry. Hence, there is a need for further suspending the order.
Need of the hour:
The government must constructively engage with all the stakeholders of the industry to formulate a comprehensive policy for domestic and overseas manufacturers based on the rules that are already in place since 2017.
Overview of the Toys (Quality Control) Order:
This relates to the regulation of toys and/or materials for use in play by children under 14 years of age, or other products as notified by the Central Government.
- The order has been issued by DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
The Order contains several important provisions for toy safety, including:
- Requirement for toys to conform to the latest version of a list of Indian Standards.
- Requirement for toys to bear the Standard Mark under a licence from the Bureau as per Scheme-I of Schedule-II of Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
- Directing the Bureau to be the certifying and enforcement authority.
Overview of the Scheme-I:
- Under this scheme, the ISI mark is granted to the factories (who is actually producing the goods) and products by the BIS which is the national standards body of India.
- The main objective of the BIS is to ensure that the products that are delivered to the end consumers are safe for their use and are in adherence with all the quality and safety standards set by them.
- In India, the ISI mark is the synonym for better quality and safety.
Need for safety:
Safety and quality are fundamental concerns for parents who buy toys and other products related to children.
It is imperative that not only the industry, but government should also assume an active role in enabling its adoption by a larger section of the society.
- The recent survey conducted by Quality Council of India shows that 67% of imported toys are not safe for the children.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- About Quality Council of India.
- Toys (Quality Control) Order has been issued by?
- Applicability of the order.
- About the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Sources: the Hindu.
