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The draft EIA notification, 2020: what went wrong?

India has witnessed consistent and rapid environmental degradation since the past 50 years which can be attributed to the depletion of forests, vehicular emissions, use of hazardous chemicals, improper disposal methods and various other undesirable human activities. Incidents such as the Bhopal gas tragedy and the LG Polymers gas leak incident have accentuated the seriousness of the matter and the need for introspection and rectification as well as timely action. Implementation of regulatory norms to curb pollution may seem plausible, but it is even more crucial to check whether industrial units and other polluting entities are complying with the safety norms and standards laid down to check the adverse impact of their operations. In that light, The draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification is bound to suffer implementational challenges and demands thorough revision to meet the environmental, developmental and sustainability parameters.

Concatenation of EIA in India

The current environmental laws seek to strike a balance between ‘ecology’ and ‘economy.’ The EIA framework is the practical aspect that guides towards striking this balance. Environmental Clearance (EC) is one of the most important features of an EIA framework. It refers to the process of assessing the impact of planned projects on the environment and people with an aim to abate/minimize the consequent environmental pollution. The clearance is mandatory of areas that are ecologically fragile, regardless of the type of project.

The first EIA notification was notified in the year 1994, however, it covered only a few industries, leaving many out of the scope of impact assessment. In order to reflect upon the shortcomings of the 1994 framework, it was updated as EIA notification 2006[1].

However, the system curated by the EIA notification 2006 has been a far cry from perfect. Over the 15 odd years of its implementation, there have been quality issues with respect to the EIA reports,[2] and poor track record of post environmental clearance monitoring and compliance [3]. Over these years, it has also undergone numerous changes. In 2017, the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Environment Ministry exempted public hearings for coal mining projects which were undergoing capacity enhancements of up to 40 percent. However, the relaxation was subjected to due diligence of the EAC[4]. In 2015, the Ministry extended the validity of environmental clearance from 5 years to 7 years[5]. In March 2020, a draft notification[6] to replace the 2006 notification was issued for public comments. Since then, there have been many protests seeking a revaluation of the draft proposal.

In the meanwhile, vide an Office Memorandum dated 18^th November 2020, the government proposed new set of rules to streamline the process to reduce the number of days taken by the authorities in granting EC.[7] This was in line with the government’s efforts to ensure the country’s growth trajectory in not blocked. Post that, another Office Memorandum was issued on 15^th March 2021 that sought to streamline the process of granting environmental clearances with regard to essential details demanded.[8]

Very recently, another Notification dated 18th March 2021 was issued where the center exempted all projects from public hearing whose environmental clearance had expired and therefore had to apply afresh.[9]According to the notification, the prior environmental clearance for a project was granted for a maximum period of ten years, and in some cases five years. The projects which failed to complete within the granted time period had to undergo all the processes of scoping afresh, including conducting a public hearing. However, as per the new amendment, the compulsory step of conducting public hearing has been done away with if minimum 50% of the physical form of the project has been implemented. This was essential to remit further delay in such projects.

The notification has been introduced amidst the countrywide opposition to the contentious EIA Draft Notification 2020[10], that seeks to overhaul the environmental clearance process for large infrastructures and projects like dams, roads, mines townships, etc. The prepared draft proposes three major changes:

Exemption from public consultation for certain construction projects.
Powers to regularise projects retrospectively.
Exemptions for process with strategic consultation.[11]

Contentious Issues in the Draft EIA Notification

Environmentalists across the country took an abhorrent view of the proposed Draft EIA Notification 2020, since it provided time and liberty to project proponents while strategically keeping the public uninvolved.

Ex post facto environmental clearance

This rule allows any industry working in violation of the Environment (Protection) Act to apply for clearance. This seemed quite arbitrary since India has already witnessed severe disasters caused due to the lack of compliance to environmental clearances. Recently, in addition to the LG Polymers gas leakage at Vishakhapatnam, a natural gas well of Oil India Ltd. blew up and caught fire in Tinsukia, Assam. Assam’s State Pollution Board reported that Oil India Ltd. was operating without any consent from the Board for more than 15 years!

Defeats the purpose of public consultation

Generally, the interested stakeholders are given a period of 30 days to raise any concerns regarding the preliminary report of the assessment. The draft EIA 2020 seeks to reduce this period to a mere 20 days. Very often, the concerned stakeholders belong to poor communities residing in and around the project sites. The news of such a report usually reaches late, by the time consultations are considered, clearances are granted. This provision is in violation of Principle 10 of Rio Declaration which states that “Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens”.

Reducing the Number of Compliance Reports

The Compliance Report contains all the norms and regulations which are being followed by industries on a regular basis. It is an essential aspect of EIA since it helps the concerned authorities to put a system of checks and balance. However, as per the draft EIA 2020, this period has been increased to one year, granting unwarranted freedom to industrial units to grossly violate the environmental norms and cover it up with ease.

Empowering the central govt. to declare certain projects as ‘strategic’ may have adverse outcomes

It is the Technical Expert Committee that has been endorsed with the power to categorize new projects rather than the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Forest Change. Once a particular project has been labelled/categorised as ‘strategic’ by the central government, information regarding it shall be removed from the public domain. Any information regarding environmental violations thus remain a privy to the government. Not being able to report violations except by the government or regulatory authority goes against the principles of natural justice. Diluting the norms with regards to detailed scrutiny by the Expert Committee, EIA studies, or public consultation leaves many projects and polluters out of the regulatory net.

Exclusion of projects

Clause 26 of the Draft EIA Notification 2020 excludes a long list of projects from the purview of EIA. Further, Clause 14 of the said Notification excludes a number of projects from public consultation. Further, public consultation has also been exempted for the projects falling under Category B2.

Judicial Approach on the Draft EIA Notification

Since the issuance of the draft notification, various petitions have been filed in courts across the country demanding judicial scrutiny over specific controversial aspects as discussed above.

The notification allowing for grant of ex post facto environmental clearance for project proponents who have already commenced or completed projects without obtaining a prior EC was challenged in the case of Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Rohit Prajapati & Ors.[12], the Supreme Court held that the concept of ex post facto clearance as opposed to the fundamental principles of environmental jurisprudence and is violative of the previous EIA Notifications. It was further held in this case that such a clearance would lead to irreparable degradation of the environment. The grant of such problematic environmental clearances violates the precautionary principle and sustainable development. Furthermore, such clearances overturn the ‘polluter pays principle’ to make it ‘pay and pollute’ principle.

The court placed reliance on its previous ruling in the matter of Common Cause v. Union of India.[13] In this case, the Supreme Court held that “the concept of an ex post facto or a retrospective EC is completely alien to environmental jurisprudence including EIA 1994 and EIA 2006.” Therefore, relying on the verdict of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the above two cases, it can be stated that ex post facto clearances are unsustainable is law and void.

In the case of Puducherry Environment Protection Association v. The Union of India.[14], the Madras HC addressed the issue in a different light. The question of whether an establishment providing livelihood to hundreds of people must be closed down on the grounds of non-compliance with prior EC, was addressed. After much deliberation, the HC arrived at the conclusion that violation of environmental norms can conveniently and effectively be checked. It also stressed on the fact that an ex post facto clearance takes away the scope of EIA.

Previously, the National Green Tribunal in S. P. Muthuraman v. Union of India[15], remarked that the law does not recognise any such examination which is made post-commencement and upon completion of a project. The Tribunal further went to acknowledge that the practice of conducting an EIA is internationally recognised. It also stated that granting post facto approvals could legalise and legitimise illegal and irregular projects which are in contravention of environmental norms and thus would defeat the purpose of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.

Another contention raised by the stakeholders was that the draft notification dilutes the EIA process making it easier for industries to escape accountability. Various courts also took stock of these concerns and the Delhi High Court granted an extension in the time allowed to the general public for giving suggestions to the Draft EIA Notification till August 11, 2020. It also suggested that the notification must be translated into other languages so that it can reach to even the remotest groups and seek recommendations.[16] However, the centre responded by saying that it was giving ‘thoughtful consideration’ to the HC’s views on translating the EIA Notification 2020 in twenty-two languages of the eighth schedule of the constitution.[17]The Karnataka High Court also took a similar approach and restrained the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change from releasing the final notification till September 7, 2020, on the grounds of the ongoing pandemic.[18]

Giving Voice to the Voiceless

EIA is a part of participatory justice which gives voice to the voiceless[19].

The present EIA draft notification appears to be an attempt to promote the growth of industries and the corporate community at the cost of biodiversity, human rights and the environment. The draft is bound to suffer implementational challenges and demands thorough revision to meet the environmental, developmental and sustainability parameters. However, the final notification is not out yet and the judicial bent towards scrapping the post-commencement sanctions and increasing the period for public consultation period would most likely lead to a revision of those aspects. Moreover, provisions such as discretionary powers for the determination of strategic projects as well as a reduction in key compliance norms dilute the very essence of environmental assessments. Ease of doing business was ideally implemented to subvert bureaucratic dawdle but it should not become a veil for corporate subterfuge. Then again, too many compliance burdens deter participants in a sector from undertaking developmental projects. Some fine-tuning keeping the regulatory pressures minimal while balancing environmental repercussions would be the ideal course of action.

References

1 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA – THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT NOTIFICATION 2006,
http://www.environmentwb.gov.in/pdf/EIA%20Notification,%202006.pdf (last visited Aug. 29, 2020).

2 http://moef.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/OM_IA_ownershipEIA.pdf

3 https://cag.gov.in/en/audit-report/details/27540

4 http://environmentclearance.nic.in/writereaddata/Form1A/Minutes/010820176ABWO9WXApprovedMOM15thEACheldon25July2017Coal.pdf

5 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/government-extends-validity-of-environmentclearance-to-7-years/articleshow/49452693.cms?from=mdr

6 http://parivesh.nic.in/writereaddata/Draft_EIA_2020.pdf

7 http://dghindia.gov.in/assets/downloads/5fbb4c3cc3135moefccom.pdf

8 https://ficci-web.com/link/OMStreamlining.pdf

9 http://environmentclearance.nic.in/writereaddata/EIA_Notifications/52_SO1240E_12032021.pdf

10 http://parivesh.nic.in/writereaddata/Draft_EIA_2020.pdf

11 https://www.bloombergquint.com/law-and-policy/environment-law-proposed-norms-dilute-the-processrigours-experts-say

12 Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Rohit Prajapati & Ors., 2020 SCC OnLine SC 347

13 Common Cause v. Union of India, (2017) 9 SCC 499.

14 Puducherry Environment Protection Association v. The Union of India, (2017) 8 MLJ 513.

15 S.P. Muthuraman v. Union of India, 2018 (8) FLT 498.

16 Vikrant Tongad v. Union of India, W.P. (C) 3747/2020 & CM APPL. 13426/2020.

17 https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/mar/26/giving-thoughtful-considerationto-hc-view-totranslate-draft-eia-in-22-languages-centre-2281924.html

18 United Conservation Movement Charitable and Welfare Trust v. Union of India, W.P. No. 8632/2020.

19 Samarth Trust and Anr. v. Union of India and Ors., Writ Petition (Civil) No 9317 of 2009

Image Credits: Photo by Alan Rodriguez on Unsplash

The present EIA draft notification appears to be an attempt to promote the growth of industries and corporate community at the cost of biodiversity, human rights and environment. The draft is bound to suffer implementational challenges and demands thorough revision to meet the environmental, developmental and sustainability parameters. However, the final notification is not out yet and the judicial bent towards scrapping the post commencement sanctions and increasing the period for public consultation period would most likely lead to revision of those aspects

Associations and Committees Representing the Toy Industries in India:

1.Toy Association of India

Headquartered in New Delhi, the toy Association of India was established in 1995 with a view to bringing together toy manufacturers, traders and end-users to promote higher business relations.
It has a presence all over the country and has 600 registered members, out of which 275 are toy manufacturers.
Assists the toy industry in up-gradation of the industry’s units with modern machinery to maintain quality standards.
Attempts at creating a more conducive relationship between the government and the industry by offering policy recommendations, communicating the industry’s problems in the interest and growth of the toy industry.

2.The All-India Toy Manufacturer’s Association

Headquartered in Mumbai, All India Toy Manufacturer’s Association has nearly 150 registered members, out of which 100 are toy manufacturers.
It seeks financial assistance and subsidies from the government for the growth of the toy industry, educates and encourages suppliers to conform to the BIS regulations.
Encourages the organization of toy fairs and exhibitions for the promotion of the toy industry.

Compliances Requirements for Toy Manufacturing Industry under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

Apart from the general compliances which amount to over 700 ranging from the Companies Act, SEBI Act, FEMA Act to Income Tax and Foreign Trade Act for factories and MSME’s, regulations were required to be specifically made to ensure that the toy industries are safeguarded from unfair and excessive exploitation as well as products meet the international quality requirements.

According to a study, about 67% of toys sold in India had failed all safety and standard tests, while about 30 per cent of plastic toys failed to meet the safety standards of admissible levels of heavy metals and phthalates. Phthalates are a group of chemicals.

A lack of regulation in the past had resulted in degradation of the quality of our products and failed endeavours to keep up with the international standards. However, this is no longer the case as the government has not only strengthened the existing key factors but has also set up new compliances to steer clear of the past policy miscalculations and lapses. The said compliances are as follows:

The Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020[5]

Issued by the DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, vide order 25 February 2020, the safety of toys has been brought under compulsory BIS certification, which is granted after the successful assessment of the manufacturing infrastructure, production process, quality control, and testing capabilities. The toys shall bear the standard mark under a licence from BIS as per Scheme-I of Schedule II, of BIS (Conformity Assessment Regulations), 2018. The said QCO was initially slated to come into effect from 1^st September 2020 but was later extended to 1 January 2021[6].

Exceptions:

The order is not applicable to goods and articles manufactured and sold by artisans registered with the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), under the Ministry of Textiles.
The order is not applicable to goods and articles manufactured and sold by registered proprietor and authorized user of geographical indication, by the registrar of geographical indications, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.[7]
Goods or articles manufactured/meant for export purposes.

BIS Licence and Certification

For the purpose of BIS certification, toys have been classified into the following two categories. While applying for a licence, the manufacturer can apply under any one of the classifications:

If a licence is required for more than one type of toy (i.e., non-electric and electric), separate applications shall be made for each type. (However, samples shall be tested by BIS for conformity to the primary standard and the secondary standards which are applicable i.e., IS 9873 parts 1,2,3,4,7, and 9 etc.)[1]

While applying for a license the manufacturers must also specify the type of toy in order to choose the applicable standard it would be subjected to. The specifications of toys and their corresponding standards are as follows:

For Entities Manufacturing hundreds of toy models/SKU’s

Since testing hundreds of toy samples individually shall prove to be practically difficult for the purpose of BIS certification. The issue has been addressed in the Product Manual for the safety of toys[1].
The product manual is a guidance document containing product-specific guidelines for certification. It incorporates “Grouping Guidelines” which allows certification to be granted for a group of toy models based on the testing of certain representative models.
These grouping guidelines have been framed based on the Indian Standard IS 9873 (Part 8):2019 which is identical with the International Standard ISO/TR 8124-8:2016 (Safety of Toys Part 8 Age Determination Guidelines) which classifies toys into 7 Categories and 146 Sub-Categories based on the appropriate starting age and the specific purpose or function of the toy.
For the purpose of certification, all the models of toys of similar design, made from the same materials and covered under a single sub-category, shall be considered as a series. A sample of any one model from each series shall be drawn and tested to cover all the models in that particular series.

Schemes Floated for the Toy Manufacturing Industry in India

Along with the set of existing and new compliances, the government has also introduced various schemes and incentives with the aim of promoting the industry.

Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME)

Approximately four thousand[2] enterprises in India, engaged in toy manufacturing fall under the category of micro and small-scale sectors. The MSMEs in the toy manufacturing sector is an unorganized sector, accounting for a whopping 60% of the national market share. These MSME’s are spread all across the country with a large chunk operating in the Northern and Western regions.

The Indian toy market is 70% larger thanks to the existence of MSMEs and the support they received from our government. In pursuance of the same, the government has amended the classification of MSMEs in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan to ensure that they receive the aid and recognition required to keep up with the changing times. The amended classification is as follows:

With the advent of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan various schemes have been introduced to promote MSMEs:

• Technology and Quality Upgradation Scheme:

Enrolling in this scheme will help the micro, small and medium enterprises to use energy-efficient technologies (EETs) in manufacturing units to diminish the expense of production and adopt a clean development mechanism. The scheme guarantees to cover up to 75% of the expenditure.[1]

• Grievance Monitoring System:

Enrolling in this scheme is advantageous when it comes to addressing complaints of business owners. Additionally, the owners may also check the status of their complaints and file an appeal if they are not satisfied with the result.

• Incubation:

It assists innovators in implementing their new design or product ideas. It provides financial assistance for “Business Incubators”. Financial assistance of 75 % to 85 % of the project cost, up to a maximum of 8.00 Lakh is extended to the innovators.[2]

• Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme:

Under this scheme, new technology is provided to the business owners to replace their old and obsolete technology. A capital subsidy is given to the business to upgrade and have better means to do their business. These small, micro and medium enterprises can directly approach the banks for these subsidies. The ceiling on subsidy would be Rs. 15 lakh or 15 per cent of the investment in eligible plant and machinery, whichever is lower[3]

• Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries:

The government aims at establishing a total of 35 toy clusters in various states under this scheme. Once set up, these will boost the manufacturing of toys made of wood, lilac, palm leaves, bamboo and fabric. This scheme offers incentives such as skill development, capacity building, e-commerce assistance to local industries.

• Product Specific Industrial Cluster Development Programme:

The programme aims to establish dedicated SEZ’s and customize them into self-sustaining ecosystems catering to export markets.

Incentives Provided to the Toy Manufacturing Industry in India

The Centre and State governments have implemented various incentives to promote the toy industry.

A. For Toy Manufacturing Entities

1.Hiked import duty:

The import duty on toys was raised from 20% to 60% [4]making it difficult for foreign companies to compete in our market as well as making Indian companies’ entry into the market easier.

2.Handicraft and GI Toys exempted from Quality Control Order[5]:

This allows any traditionally made toys by artisans registered with Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) to be exempted from the quality compliances newly introduced.

3.Custom Bonded Warehouse Scheme:

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has launched a new scheme expected to play a critical role in promoting investments in India and in enhancing the ease of doing business. According to this, the unit can import goods (both inputs and capital goods) under a customs duty deferment program.[6]

4.Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme:

Enables the import of capital goods (toys/ spare parts thereof) in the pre-production, production and post-production stage without the payment of customs duty.

5.Increase in BCD for Electronic Toys (under HSN 9503) from 5% to 15%[7]:

This will increase the expenditure incurred for foreign companies to sell products in India and thus help relax the competition for Indian manufacturers. An example of how these steps have been implemented and made into a reality is the Product-Specific Industrial Cluster Development Program. An initiative taken up by the Karnataka government in partnership with Aequs Infra, is a first-of-its-kind project aimed at promoting toy industries by dedicating 400 acres of self-sustained ecosystem including an SEZ to serve export markets and Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) through state-of-the-art industrial infrastructure and facilities. It has the potential to create 40,000 jobs in five years and attract over INR 5,000 crore in investments. [8]The toy cluster aims to capitalize on the presence of key elements essential for the sector’s growth like manpower, R&D and raw material. It is also in a strategic position to cater to 50% of the domestic toy market needs, and has an efficient connectivity network with access to highways, ports, airports, and major cities.[9] This program was touted as a one-stop-shop solution catering to the needs of both large MNCs and small and medium enterprises.

6. Duty Drawback Scheme:

The scheme was introduced to rebate duty chargeable on any imported materials or excisable materials used in the manufacture or processing of goods, manufactured in India and exported.

B. For MSME’s

Apart from extending financial aid as discussed above, the government initiatives for MSME’s are largely based on undertaking initiatives to promote homegrown toy manufacturers and boost domestic demand for indigenous and locally produced toys. Some of these initiatives are:

Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP):

The programme will make the assembly of toys cheaper than imports, offering benefits similar to the PMP for mobile phones introduced back in 2015. The government has offered tax reliefs and differential tariffs among other incentives for components and accessories to push local manufacturing.

Toy Labs:

In a bid to promote traditional toys, the government has chalked out a plan to create toy labs – a national toy fair for innovative Indian themed toys. The Atal Tinkering Lab is one such toy lab to provide support for physical toys promoting learning and innovation. Additionally, due to literacy programmes like Sarv Siksha Abhiyan and the new education policy, toys nurturing innovation and creativity are in focus.

Involving various sectors:

The education ministry has been asked to include indigenous toys as a part of learning resource, under the new education policy. The IIT’s are set to be roped in to look into the technological aspect of toys, while the NIFT’s shall study the concept of toys and national values, by using non-hazardous materials. The Ministry of Science and Technology has been directed to explore how India’s indigenous games can be featured in the digital space. While the Ministry of culture will work on ‘Indian Toy Museum’.

Labour law reforms:

The Indian toy industry is labour intensive, the new labour law reforms have a significant impact on the ease of doing business, thereby providing a competitive advantage to the Indian toy industries.

The toy industry is one sector that contains a lot of untapped potentials. The compulsory BIS certification as per the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020, will ensure that the quality of toys is at par with international standards along with the strengthening of existing conditions of the market. These are significant steps in the right direction to ensure that the domestic markets pick up once the pandemic wanes. The domestic production and sales could catch up with exports and thus make sure that the future of this sector will not be as grim as in the past and will light up, once again.

References

1 https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/consumer-goods/toys-manufacturing

2 Koppal Toy Manufacturing Cluster; https://static.investindia.gov.in/s3fs-public/2021- 01/Koppal%20Toy%20Manufacturing%20Cluster%20-%20For%20International%20Investors.pdf

3 Ibid

4 Indian Toys Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2021-2026, https://www.imarcgroup.com/indian-toys-market

5 https://bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Toy_QC_order.pdf

6 https://dipp.gov.in/sites/default/files/orderToy-26February2021_0.pdf

7 https://dipp.gov.in/sites/default/files/QC-AmendmentOrder-Toys-21December2020.pdf

8 https://bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/toys-faqs-bilingual.pdf

9 https://bis.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/safety-of-toy.pdf

10 Toy industries in India; https://www.ibef.org/indian-toys

11 Impact of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan on MSMEs; https://cleartax.in/s/impact-aatmanirbhar-bharat- abhiyan-msmes/

12 https://msme.gov.in/3-technology-upgradation-and-quality- certification#:~:text=Technology%20and%20Quality%20Upgradation%20Support%20to%20MSMEs&text=50%

13 https://msme.gov.in/incubation 25%20of%20actual%20expenditure%20subject,licenses%20from%20National%20%2F%20International%20bo dies.

14 http://laghu-udyog.gov.in/schemes/sccredit.htm

15 Budget 2020: Govt hikes customs duty on toys, furniture, footwear products; https://www.financialexpress.com/budget/budget-2020-govt-hikes-customs-duty-on-toys-furniture-footwear- products/1848123/

16 Handicraft and GI Toys exempted from Quality Control Order; https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1680181

17CBIC and Customs launch scheme to attract investment and support Make in India programme; https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/cbic-and-customs-launch-scheme-to-attract-investment-and- support-make-in-india-programme

18 Union budget 2021; https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/budget_speech.pdf

19 https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/consumer-goods/toys-manufacturing

20 Koppal Toy Manufacturing Cluster; https://static.investindia.gov.in/s3fs-public/2021- 01/Koppal%20Toy%20Manufacturing%20Cluster%20-%20For%20International%20Investors.pdf

Image Credits: Photo by Nguyen Bui on Unsplash

The toy manufacturing industry is one sector that contains a lot of untapped potentials. The compulsory BIS certification as per the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020, will ensure that the quality of toys is at par with international standards along with the strengthening of existing conditions of the market.