174 quality control orders covering 732 products introduced in last decade: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said there were only 14 quality control orders (QCOs) covering 106 products till 2014 and in the last 10 years, the government expanded it to 174 QCOs covering 732 products to boost quality in manufacturing.

Urging the industry to adopt good quality standards, the minister said quality can not only boost toy manufacturing but also boost exports.

In the last 10 years or so, toy exports have reached $523.24 million, overtaking imports at $517.71 million amid several conducive government initiatives.

"For India to be recognised as a brand at the world stage, quality has to be given foremost importance. If it is coming from India it has to have an imprint of quality. This should be our aspirational goal," Minister Goyal said at the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) symposium in the national capital.

The Commerce Minister invited industry leaders to partner with the government and take quality to the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the QCO ecosystem.

The minister also called for a government, industry, and academia partnership with the quality control regulators working to solve difficulties manufacturers have in adopting good quality standards.

Emphasising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always put quality at the core of the government’s efforts in building the nation, the minister said that the PM's vision of ‘Zero Defect and Zero Effect’ has been at the forefront of his governance for the past two terms to make India a developed nation.

"The Rs 1 lakh crore Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will support innovation for the industry, to make it a prerequisite alongside quality for a Viksit Bharat," said the minister.

The ANRF is expected to launch programmes in select priority areas like EV mobility, advanced materials, solar cells, smart infrastructure, health and medical technology, sustainable agriculture, and photonics.