Minister Goyal Considers Extended Timeline for Appliance Quality Order

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is considering extending the implementation timeline for the quality control order (QCO) for electrical appliances. Industry leaders raised concerns about challenges in meeting the current deadline. A phased rollout and improved testing infrastructure were proposed to ease compliance.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is taking into account industry concerns over the quality control order (QCO) for electrical appliances, considering an extension to its implementation timeline, according to an official statement on Friday.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) organized a stakeholder meeting chaired by Goyal on May 15 to address challenges faced by the sector regarding the horizontal QCO on electrical appliance safety, dated September 20, 2024.

Industry representatives highlighted issues including coverage ambiguity and insufficient testing facilities, while advocating for phased implementation starting with finished goods. DPPIT is working to improve testing and certification, particularly for MSMEs, in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards.

(With inputs from agencies.)