In India, the role and responsibility in respect to the
weights and measures is shared between the Centre and the States. At the
Centre level, all matters of national importance are handled like uniform
laws on weights and measures, technical regulations, training to the enforcement
officials of Weights and Measures, precision laboratory facilities, implementation
of the International Recommendation on weights and measures, etc. While,
the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations are responsible
for day to day enforcement of the laws and rules relating to weights and
measures in various States/ Union Territories (UTs).
There is 'Weights
and Measures Unit', in the Department
of Consumer Affairs, which is the central authority for dealing with
matters related to standards of weights and measures. The Department of
Consumer Affairs falls under the Ministry
of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and is largely responsible
for the formulation of policies for Consumer Cooperatives, monitoring
prices, availability of essential commodities, consumer movement in the
country and controlling of statutory bodies like Bureau of Indian Standards
(BIS) and Weights and Measures. The Weights and Measures Unit in the Department
administers the Standards
of Weights and Measures Act, 1976; Standards
of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act 1985; Standards
of Weights and Measures (General) Rules 1987; and Standards
of Weights and Measures (Packaged commodities) Rules, 1977. It conducts
inspection of weighing and measuring instruments during their use to prevent
fraudulent practices.
Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India which has
been set up under
Bureau
of Indian Standards Act, 1986 in place of Indian Standards Institution
(ISI). It is successfully engaged in preparation and implementation of
standards, operation of quality certification schemes both for products
and systems, organisation and management of testing laboratories, creating
consumer awareness as well as harmonizing national standards with regional
and international standards in order to facilitate adoption of international
standards by all segments of business and industry. It is formulating
need-based Indian Standards in line with the national priorities with
the help of over 8800 technical experts. It has also set up a grievance
cell where consumers can make a complaint about the quantity of products
carrying the ISI mark.
There is a department/ wing/ division of Weights and Measures
or Department of Legal Metrology in various States and UTs, which has
been set up to regulate the use of correct weighing and measuring instruments
in production, trade and commerce so as to ensure that exact weight, measure
and number of any commodity is provided to any consumer as contracted
for, or paid for by him. It, therefore, helps the people of States/UTs
to get the right quantity of items, whether in measures or in weights;
as well as safeguards their interest by ensuring mandatory declarations
on packaged commodities.
Some of such departments or wings in the States and UTs
are:-
However, several initiatives and efforts are being made
by the Central Government to modernize, upgrade and promote capacity building
of Legal Metrology enforcement machinery of States/ UTs, with a view to
ensure proper enforcement of Weights and Measures laws.
