NEW DELHI: Only two toy manufacturing companies have got the licences from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) so far and 81 other applications are under process. BIS officials said not a single applicant is from any foreign country.
The BIS certification has been made mandatory from September 1 for manufacturing and sale of any toy targeted at children below 14 years. Though there is some ambiguity on the sale of toys manufactured before September 1, a senior BIS official said the sale on non-BIS compliance toys is not permitted.
Representatives of major toy makers associations have told the government that the kicking in of the mandatory standards has hit Indian manufacturers. Manish Kukreja, president of The All India Toy Manufacturers Association (TAITMA), said the industry has sought clarification from the government regarding the sale of the old stock for the benefit of all. He said the industry is all in support of the BIS norms for toys.
Ajay Aggarwal, president of Toys Association of India said, “The notification for mandatory BIS certification for toys came on February 25. BIS held a meeting with manufacturers in March and there was nationwide lockdown from March 23. Factories were shut and we resumed only in July. We have also requested the government to give us 3-6 months time and allow manufacturers to get their items tested in third party laboratories. We are all in favour of BIS and safety of children is our priority.”
Kukreja also said the industry has sought relaxations; something that the government has given to all industries because of Covid. “If the government allows manufacturers to get their products tested at a third party laboratory rather than have an in-house lab, all manufacturers will start complying with the norms soon. No manufRead More – Source
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