New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on Tuesday came out with quality control norms for bicycles' retro reflective devices with a view to containing imports and production of sub-standard products in the country.

According to a DPIIT notification, the retro reflective devices would have to conform to the specified standards and bear the standard mark under a licence from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

The items cannot be produced, sold/traded, imported and stocked unless they bear a BIS mark.

Retro reflectors are devices/surfaces which appear brighter to approaching vehicles. The enhanced visibility helps in ensuring safety of cyclists.

The order will come into force with effect from January 1, 2022.

BIS "shall be the certifying and enforcing authority" for the goods, according to the notification.

However, it added that the order -- Bicycles- Retro Reflective Devices (Quality Control) Order, 2021 -- shall not apply to goods or articles meant for export purposes.

The department had earlier too issued similar norms for several items, such as certain steel products and cables.

The move assumes significance as the government is working to formulate technical regulations, which include safety and quality standards, for over 350 products with a view to cutting imports of those non-essential items.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)