Quality Control Orders: Goyal on Consumer Safety & Import Control

New Delhi, Dec 7 (PTI) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said quality control orders (QCOs) are important to cut imports of sub-standard products and promote the safety of consumers, and domestic industry should not approach the ministry against these orders.

Goyal said that recently, an industry association from the utensils sector has approached him to persuade him not to release QCOs for the sector.

"QCOs is not to stop imports but to have high-quality products for our consumers... Import of sub-standard products have huge risks to the safety of lives," he said at an industry event here.

He added that the consumer has all the right to get high-quality products like utensils.

The government has come up with a number of quality control orders (QCOs) this year for products like consumer goods with an aim to contain imports of sub-standard goods and boost domestic manufacturing.

Goyal also said that the industry will have to become competitive to boost economic activity and make India a developed nation.

"Protectionism will not make India a developed nation, that can be possible for a few years, for some period of time," he added.

Further, he asked the private sector to help local manufacturers by procuring domestically and not importing goods, which are being manufactured in India.

He also urged them to become 'Viksit Bharat Ambassadors'.