Guwahati: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has worked to address various national priorities and government initiatives, including Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Digital India and Make in India, to improve the ease of doing business through standardisation and certification activities. The National Standards Body of India continues to address issues in technological advancements, climate change, environmental and energy conservation, health and safety, and trade facilitation. Moreover, BIS is working towards simplifying and expediting processes in conformity assessment.
To gain deeper insights into BIS, the vision of the Guwahati Branch Laboratory (GBL), how they ensure the quality of products, the products they primarily focus on in the Northeastern region, and their upcoming plans, Business North East (BNE) spoke to Subhadip Basu, Senior Director of BIS, GBL during the recently held lab Conclave on Petroleum-Based Products.
Interview Q&A:
BNE: Could you give us a small gist of today’s event?
Subhadip Basu: Today's event is about bringing together various stakeholders related to petroleum products, biodiesel, biofuel manufacturers, and others involved in reducing carbon emissions. For example, nitrous oxide-reducing agents are one area of focus. We have called upon all the stakeholders to discuss the challenges they face in producing quality products in the country and how we can upscale our products to meet global standards. We also encourage large manufacturers to set up their laboratories and get them accredited by BIS. This eliminates the need for manufacturers to travel to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, or Kolkata for product testing, as they can test their petroleum products locally in accredited laboratories in the Northeast.
BNE: What role does the Guwahati Branch Laboratory play in maintaining product quality?
Subhadip Basu: The Northeast region is crucial for us, and the Guwahati Branch Laboratory has been operating here for over 50 years. We have primarily tested traditional products like cement, steel, and other building materials. Recently, we have expanded our focus to include new areas like AAC blocks and plywood testing in a significant way. We are also increasing our scope to include steel and metal testing to ensure that industries in this region, licensed under BIS, do not need to send their products to other parts of the country for testing, enabling faster service delivery while minimising waiting times for licensing.
BNE: What products from the Northeastern region are primarily tested in the Guwahati Branch Laboratory?
Subhadip Basu: We focus on products manufactured in this region. Significantly, cement, and we are also moving into metal products and plywood testing. These are some of the key products we aim to develop expertise in so that industries in this region can benefit from our services.
BNE: What challenges do you face?
Subhadip Basu: One of the biggest challenges is the limited industrialisation in the region. Our primary focus is to provide services in the shortest possible time. For instance, the Government of India and BIS have mandated that licensing should take no more than 30 days. This timeline becomes difficult to achieve if industries send their materials to distant cities for testing. By modernising our lab with state-of-the-art equipment, we aim to ensure that industries in this region can obtain licenses within 25 to 30 days.
BNE: Are startups and entrepreneurs also a focus of the Guwahati Branch Laboratory?
Subhadip Basu: The Licensing Department of the Guwahati Branch, which is the Guwahati Branch Office, actively looks after startups and female entrepreneurs. We provide significant concessions to them. This is a suitable time for startups and entrepreneurs to take advantage of these benefits and obtain BIS licenses. Concessions of 80 per cent to 90 per cent in terms of marking fees are currently available, making it a great opportunity for them to step forward and get licensed.
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BNE: Are there any upcoming plans for the Guwahati Branch Laboratory of BIS?
Subhadip Basu: The growth of our scope depends on the industrial activities in this region. For example, today's theme is petroleum products. If we find that the industry in this sector is expanding, we will enhance our scope accordingly. The prime focus of the Indian government is to issue quality control orders to ensure no substandard products are available in the market. As new sectors like toys or footwear emerge, we will adapt our infrastructure to support them. We will scale up if petroleum products or other industries require support to meet their needs.