Sharad Pawar inaugurates World Standards Day function

New Delhi, Oct 13 (UNI) Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) celebrated the World Standards Day here today which is celebrated the world over as the Foundation Day of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

Also, India is a founder member of the ISO.

Inaugurating the event, Union Agriculture Minister for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Sharad Pawar informed that there are about 3.6 million industries in the small scale sector employing about 20 million people contributing almost 40 per cent of the gross industrial value-added and 45 per cent of the total direct as well as indirect exports from India.

Small scale sector is the second largest employer of human resources after agriculture and its development has, therefore, been assigned an important role in India's national plans.

Mr Pawar further added that the Government, in its endeavour to support and promote small enterprises have undertaken a number of measures in terms of industrial extension services, institutional support in respect of credit facilities, provision of developed sites for construction of industrial sheds, provision of training facilities, supply of machinery on hire-purchase terms, assistance for domestic marketing as well as exports, special incentives for setting up enterprises in backward areas, technical consultancy and financial assistance for quality and technological up-gradation.

The Minister also informed that the Government through the Ministry of Small Scale Industries and Agro and Rural Industries was reimbursing Small Scale Sector charges for acquiring ISO 9000/ISO 14000 certification to the extent of 75 per cent of the cost subject to a maximum of Rs 75,000 in each case.

Mr L Mansingh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, said that although standards are important for all segments of our national economy, however small businesses play major role in meeting the needs of the people for products and services world over.

Mr S P Sharma, Director General, BIS, mentioned that to compete effectively with large units, the small sector had to build their brand image and they have achieved all this through credible certification either for their products or for their management systems.

More has to be done to promote other tiny units which have come up in large numbers and have not adopted the Standards and Quality certification schemes.

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