NEW DELHI: The consumer affairs department is now initiating a proposal for transfer of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to commerce ministry, barely eight months after it had opposed a similar move from the commerce ministry.
While opinions are divided with regard to the merits of the proposal, the PMO has sought details about BIS and its functions. Sources said the process started after Union minister Piyush Goyal directed the department officials to take action to transfer BIS to the commerce ministry. He took charge of the food and consumer affairs ministry in addition to railways and commerce after Ram Vilas Paswan passed away. Paswan had opposed the proposal from Goyal’s ministry. “It’s up to the government to take a call. This only requires change in allocation of business rules,” said a source.
Some former BIS officials told TOI that the proposal was long overdue as the agency is primarily responsible for making standards for industrial goods.