RITES helps Afghan unit get first-ever ISO 9001 Certification

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) RITES Ltd, a public sector undertaking of the Railway Ministry, has assisted in getting first-ever ISO Certification for the Afghanistan Reconstruction and Development Services (ARDS), a procurement unit of the Afghanistan Government.

Since December 2004, RITES has been offering advisory and consultancy services for providing procurement facilitation facilities to ARDS under the World Bank-funded Public Administration and Capacity Building Project.

The project is aimed at facilitating rapid and transparent utilisation of donor resources for reconstruction and development.

''It is a matter of great pride for the Afghanistan Government as the first ISO 9001 Certification in the country has been granted to a public organisation, involved in the vital area of channelising the donor resources for procurement of goods, works and services,'' a RITES official told UNI.

The official said this was also a reflection on the seriousness and dedication of the Afghanistan Government for ensuring ''the most transparent, effective, responsive and efficient utilisation'' of donor resources for the reconstruction and development of the war-ravaged country.

Mr Farhadi, Director of ARDS while praising efforts of RITES in achieving this certification, said the Afganistan government would like to put similar systems in place in other important areas of functioning as well as mobilise the private sector to go in for ISO Certification in a big way.

UNI SKS KR VA RAI1317