THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 11, 2026

Odisha on Tuesday stepped up efforts to strengthen quality assurance, testing infrastructure and adoption of Indian Standards across key sectors, with Chief Secretary Anu Garg calling for closer coordination between the state government and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Chairing the third meeting of the State Level Committee (SLC) on Standardization at Lok Seva Bhawan here, Garg said standardisation was fundamental to ensuring quality, safety, reliability and efficiency in products and services, particularly in public procurement, infrastructure and essential services.

The meeting reviewed key initiatives for strengthening standardisation, quality assurance and consumer protection in the state, and discussed measures to promote wider adoption and effective implementation of BIS standards.

BIS Bhubaneswar Senior Director and Head A K Purohit made a presentation on key initiatives and areas of collaboration for strengthening standardisation and quality in Odisha. A Chatterjee from the BIS Laboratory in Kolkata highlighted the BIS Laboratory Assistance Scheme for augmentation and upgradation of testing facilities in state government laboratories and common facility centres.

The committee directed that capacity-building programmes on Indian Standards be organised for officials of key departments, including PWD, PHE, WATCO, DISCOM, Agriculture, Health and Family Welfare, Labour and Employment, Urban Development, Water Resources and Women and Child Development, in consultation with BIS.

Special standardisation sessions were also suggested for PWD engineers and junior engineers, with similar programmes to be extended to the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj departments.

The committee further advised inclusion of standardisation and the quality ecosystem in administrative training programmes and directed the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department to take up the matter with the concerned training academy.

Emphasising quality in public procurement, departments were advised to refer to applicable Indian Standards, download them from the BIS website and take immediate steps for their implementation. The committee also suggested exploring API-based integration of state government departmental portals with the BIS website to provide seamless access to Indian Standards and related information.

For greater consumer empowerment, the committee directed wider promotion of the BIS CARE app, which enables consumers to verify HUID and ISI marks, access standards, identify testing laboratories and lodge complaints against sub-standard products and services.

It also advised prominent display of information about the BIS CARE app at jewellery shops.

To ensure safe and reliable piped drinking water, the committee decided that WATCO and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation authorities may implement BIS standard IS 17482:2020 on Piped Drinking Water Management as a pilot project and undertake certification.

On lift safety, the committee stressed the need for appropriate rules and regulations in Odisha to ensure compliance with Indian Standards.

The committee also backed the establishment of a state-of-the-art BIS Office and Laboratory Complex in Odisha and directed that the laboratory establishment process be taken up on priority.

Considering Odisha's major steel and aluminium industries, BIS was specifically asked to prioritise a modern laboratory capable of testing gold, silver, steel and aluminium.

The committee stressed the need to strengthen Standards Clubs in educational institutions and formally recognise BIS activities undertaken through such clubs, including exposure visits.

It also discussed the BIS Laboratory Assistance Scheme for upgrading testing facilities in state government laboratories and common facility centres.

The meeting noted BIS support to micro, small and medium enterprises through an 80 per cent rebate in fees, along with complete relaxation of the requirement for an in-house testing facility.

Garg stressed the need to create greater awareness among government officials, industry, service providers and consumers about Indian Standards and their practical application. She called for stronger coordination between BIS and state government departments for effective adoption of the standards.

The Chief Secretary also emphasised strengthening IEC activities on standardisation to build a wider quality-conscious ecosystem in Odisha.

Highlighting the importance of adequate BIS institutional and testing infrastructure in the state, Garg said modern testing facilities would support Odisha's growing industrial, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, facilitate faster testing, certification and quality assurance, and reduce dependence on laboratories outside the state.

She directed that the SLC should meet at least twice a year to review progress and deliberate on key issues relating to standardisation and quality in Odisha.

The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, senior officials of various departments, including the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Commerce and Transport and Agriculture and Farmers' Empowerment departments, and managing directors of various organisations.