BIS Ahmedabad organized a meeting with Consumer Organizations of Gujarat on the occasion of the visit of the Consumer Awareness Bharat Yatra in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 04 Jan, The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India functioning under the aegis of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, organized a meeting with Consumer Organizations of Gujarat on the occasion of the visit of the Consumer Awareness Bharat Yatra in Ahmedabad on 03 January 2026, marking the second phase of the Yatra in Gujarat.
Government sources said today, BIS has been serving Indian industry and consumers since 1947, when it was established as the Indian Standards Institution (ISI). Over the decades, BIS has played a pivotal role in ensuring the quality, safety, and reliability of products through its Conformity Assessment, Laboratory Services, Hallmarking, and other certification schemes. The ISI Mark has become synonymous with quality for Indian households, while the Hallmarking Scheme provides the highest assurance of purity in gold jewellery. BIS has also taken proactive steps to inculcate quality consciousness among youth by establishing more than 10,000 Standards Clubs in educational institutions across the country.
BIS has been actively serving the state of Gujarat since 1971. During this period, industries in Gujarat have obtained over 6500 BIS licenses, accounting for more than 12 percent of the total licenses issued nationwide, reflecting the state’s strong commitment towards quality, compliance, and innovation.
The Consumer Confederation of India (CCI) is organizing a three-month consumer awareness campaign across India, running from December 24, 2025 (National Consumer Day) to 15 March, 2026. The Yatra aims to create awareness about consumer rights, fair trade practices, prevention of adulteration, and correct weighing and measurement through workshops and seminars. Covering a journey of over 17,000 km across 145 cities, the Yatra will traverse all 28 States and 8 Union Territories, with support from various government and regulatory bodies.
On the occasion of the visit of the Consumer Awareness Bharat Yatra in Ahmedabad, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Ahmedabad organized a meeting with consumer organizations of Gujarat, which was attended by more than 40 representatives of consumer protection VCOs from all districts of Gujarat. The programme commenced with the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony by the dignitaries. Ajay Chandel, Deputy Director, BIS Ahmedabad, welcomed all participants. Shri Babubhai Patel, National President, CCI, delivered welcome address, emphasizing the importance of consumer awareness initiatives.
Sumit Sengar, Director and Head, BIS Ahmedabad, briefed the participants on various BIS initiatives for consumers, including mandatory ISI certification for over 700 products such as footwear, electrical appliances, cement and jewellery. He also highlighted the Hallmarking Scheme and its benefits to consumers, informing that consumers can verify purity, jeweller registration, date of sale, and testing centre details instantly through the BIS Care App. BIS Ahmedabad also shared its collaborative efforts with VCOs, industry associations, toy manufacturers and jewellers’ associations to enhance consumer awareness.
Deep Dave ( Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs) and Harshbhai Thakkar ( Assistant Director, Legal Metrology Department) Government of Gujarat explained various State Government Schemes aimed at strengthening consumer protection.
Dr. Anant Sharma, Founder and National Chairperson, CCI, highlighted the relevance of the Consumer Awareness Bharat Yatra and elaborated on the Consumer Protection Act, consumer rights and the coordinated efforts of BIS and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs in safeguarding consumer interests nationwide. Smt. Preeti Pandya, National Secretary, CCI, also spoke about the sustained efforts of CCI in the field of consumer protection over the years.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Nareshbhai Hirani, Member, CCI.