Rajya Sabha passed Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015

Rajya Sabha on 8 March 2016 passed Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015. The bill seeks to replace the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986.
•    It extends the ambit of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to include services, processes and products while ensuring production of world class goods.
•    Union Cabinet Approved Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015.
•    The Bill also proposes to make BIS a national standards body, introduce mandatory hallmarking of precious metals, prevent misuse of standard marks and provides for recall of ISI marked products not conforming to relevant standards. 
•    Now, the Bureau of Indian Standards would also get the legislative backing to formally represent India abroad.
•    At present, the BIS is not formally recognised as a national standards body of the country, though it has been representing India in various international bodies.
•    Earlier, the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 3 December 2015.
•    The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on 7 August 2015 by Ram Vilas Paswan, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.