Anantnag, Oct 23: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), J&K Branch Office (JKBO), organised an awareness programme at Town Hall, Municipal Council Anantnag, on Friday to promote quality consciousness, consumer awareness and the adoption of Indian Standards.
The programme witnessed the participation of more than 140 stakeholders, including Municipal Council officials, traders, representatives of trade and federation associations, and consumers.
The initiative aimed to familiarise local stakeholders with the role of BIS in ensuring product quality, safety and reliability, while encouraging informed purchasing decisions and greater awareness of certification mechanisms.
Mirza Asif Ali, Chief Executive Officer, Municipal Council Anantnag, attended the programme and appreciated BIS’s outreach efforts. He stressed the importance of educating traders and consumers about quality standards and encouraged participants to use the BIS Care App to verify the authenticity of BIS-certified products and report quality-related concerns.
He also called for more such programmes to strengthen consumer awareness across the region. Ashish Dwivedi, Standard Promotion Officer, BIS JKBO, welcomed the participants and delivered a presentation on the organisation’s activities, highlighting its role in standardisation, quality assurance and consumer protection.
He explained the importance of Indian Standards in everyday life and urged consumers to check whether products comply with applicable standards and carry the appropriate BIS certification mark.
Saaqib Raahi, Scientist-C and Deputy Director, BIS JKBO, provided detailed information on key BIS initiatives, including the Product Certification Scheme, the significance of the ISI mark and hallmarking of gold and silver jewellery.
He also explained how consumers can verify the authenticity of certified products and use the BIS Care App to access certification-related information and report quality-related concerns.
Participants were encouraged to act as ambassadors of quality awareness by sharing information about BIS initiatives within their communities and business networks.
Assadullah Bhat, Chairman of the Federation of Associations, Anantnag, appreciated the initiative and emphasised the importance of cooperation among BIS, trade associations, local authorities and consumers in promoting quality-conscious business practices.
He urged BIS to organise more awareness programmes in Anantnag to improve understanding of Indian Standards, product certification and consumer rights among traders and the general public.
The programme provided a platform for direct interaction between BIS officials and local stakeholders, enabling participants to seek information about quality standards, certification procedures and consumer-oriented services.
The participation of traders and consumer representatives also supported efforts to extend awareness beyond institutional channels and strengthen engagement at the local level.
