Pralhad Joshi wants to create more awareness about high quality products

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi. File | Photo Credit: Kiran Bakale

Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Social Distribution Pralhad Joshi said in New Delhi on Monday (October 14, 2024) that the welfare of consumers depends on their access to quality products. Speaking about the air purifier industry, he said consumers should be aware of the quality and quality of the products they buy and should not fall for misleading incidents.

He said the policy of ‘one nation, one standard’ will ensure consistency and cooperation among stakeholders working towards a unified standards framework in the country.

Mr. Joshi was speaking at the World Standards Day event organized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). He asked BIS to ensure that every citizen receives safe, reliable and high quality products and services. He said that although the welfare of consumers depends on access to quality products, the growth and profitability of the industry is linked to the demand for such high quality goods.

“This is a holistic approach that acknowledges the interdependence of consumers and producers that promotes the sustainability of the quality of the ecosystem,” he said.

Giving the example of air purifiers, he said that since discussions on air pollution have started, people out of fear are buying air purifiers that check the Air Quality Index (AQI) on their mobile phones. “The air purifiers make false statements. We see that much has been written about spiritual cleansing, but there is nothing in it. Although there is only one fan inside, it is still wanted,” said Mr. Joshi.

Praising BIS for its efforts to improve products, Mr. Joshi said that more than 22,300 standards are currently in force in the country and 94% of Indian standards are harmonized with International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) standards. “Improving public awareness about standards is critical to empowering consumers,” he said.