Guwahati: Anasua Dutta Barua, the Secretary of the Food, Public Distribution & Consumer Affairs Department, Assam, cited the relevant framework within which Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) impacts one aspect of its customer: product standards across sectors, including food and electronics, to public distribution systems during the celebration of the 78th Foundation Day of the government department.
BIS plays an important role in ensuring the quality of goods and upholding consumers' interest in Assam. During an interview with Pankhi Sarma for Business North East (BNE), Barua said BIS ensures consumers get what they pay for within the standards it sets and enforces for the almost unlimited range of products, and this goes a long way in consumer rights and accountability within the manufacturing sector. He also talked about programs for creating awareness of BIS certification, which would include grassroots outreach and working with Panchayati engagement and digital tools like the BIS-Care app
Following are the excerpts from the Q&A interview:
Business North East (BNE): Please tell us about the significance of BIS in the food and public distribution sector and where public and food enterprises in Assam stand while incorporating the BIS mark in their operations.
Anasua Dutta Barua: BIS is a key wing under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. We collaborate closely with BIS within Assam to uphold standards. BIS sets and regulates the standards and quality of most products that can be found across various industries. This ranges from the foodstuff we eat every day to the electronic gadgets and even the toys our children play with. All these ensure protection for consumers through the presence of BIS against substandard products.
In the PDS, foods are distributed directly to the government beneficiaries. Though these are supplied under the various schemes going on, yet they must go through quality control and safety processes, which makes BIS instrumental in this work. Their detailed checks and the standardization involved ensure that they deliver quality as well as safe items to the people, whether taken from the markets or distributed from the government machinery.
BNE: How would you say that BIS impacts consumers' lives at a broader level, particularly in Assam?
Anasua Dutta Barua: BIS has become an integral part of our lives, though it often goes unnoticed. From the mobile phones, electronic devices and appliances in our homes to the jewellery we purchase—such as gold—and even the food products we consume, all are covered by BIS's standardization efforts. BIS ensures all these products are safe and of good quality. By implementing quality checks, BIS ensures that consumers get value for their money while safeguarding their health and safety.
However, we need to increase awareness about BIS and its role in Assam. While BIS is doing excellent work, including engaging with educational institutions and rural communities, there's still much needed to be done to ensure that every consumer understands the importance of the BIS mark.
BNE: What specific steps are being taken to educate the public, particularly in rural and remote areas, about the BIS mark and its significance?
Anasua Dutta Barua: BIS has initiated many programs to create awareness among people from the nook and corner of the state. The most prominent one is the initiation of BIS clubs in schools. These clubs help spread the message of standardization, quality checks, and consumer safety among young minds. BIS is trying to create a ripple effect by targeting students, and the awareness is spreading to families and communities through them.
In this respect, BIS has involved Panchayats and rural communities to create an awareness of standards and how they affect their daily lives. The idea is that people be better informed of the BIS mark, its importance, and how it safeguards them as consumers.
Alongside this, BIS has also launched the BIS Care app, which is a disruptor in terms of accessibility and awareness. Consumers can use this application to confirm whether the products are genuine or not before buying them. For example, if one is purchasing gold, an electronic gadget, or even a toy, one can check the app and confirm if it is certified and meets the standards required. This empowers consumers and makes manufacturers accountable as well.
BNE: How is your department, part of the Food and Public Distribution system, working with BIS to promote and enforce these standards?
Anasua Dutta Barua: The secretary of the Food, Public Distribution & Consumer Affairs Department works in conjunction with BIS. Our department plays a key role in consumer protection. It is not just about distributing food but also ensuring that consumers—whether they are purchasing products or receiving them through government programs—get the quality they deserve. Our collaboration with BIS helps us achieve this by promoting standardization and creating awareness about the importance of quality checks.
BNE: What are some of the challenges you face in creating awareness about BIS standards, and what are your plans to overcome them?
Anasua Dutta Barua: Reaching the farthest areas within Assam is a big challenge, and people in these areas hardly know about BIS and its relevance. Outreach by BIS has been satisfactory so far. However, it has to work a lot harder so that the poorest of the poor understand what they should buy, look for, and demand to know if a product is certified for quality or not. We propose increasing our collaborations with local governance bodies, NGOs, and educational institutions to address these challenges, as it will enable us to leverage networks toward enlarging the reach of the awareness campaigns.
Additionally, digital tools, including the BIS Care application, will continue to play a role in bridging the gap for consumers, making it available upon immediate request for information regarding product certifications. Another focus area will be to engage with entrepreneurs and manufacturers so that they are well aware of the importance of BIS certification. It will not only enhance the quality of their products but also enhance consumer trust and satisfaction.
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