Small-scale units seek Anand Sharma's intervention in Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals

NEW DELHI: Industry association FII has appealed to Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma to look into delays in the inspection of energy-efficient lighting equipment fabricated by small-scale industry (SSI) units by the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals.

The Federation of Indian Industry (FII) has also asked Sharma to look into the cancellation of registration of several SSI units by the DG S&D on various grounds.

The association claimed that energy-saving equipment worth crores of rupees has been awaiting inspection by the DG S&D for several months.

FII said because of this procedural problem, several SSI units that provide this equipment under rate contracts have been forced to shut down, leaving a large number of workers unemployed.

The FII said the ministry should direct the DG S&D to "allow SSI (small-scale industry) units to operate under rate contracts" and the goods (T-5 ballast and fittings) should be inspected by an independent agency.

T-5 ballast and fittings are energy-efficient lighting equipment and are procured by several government agencies under the rate contract system.

In addition, the DG S&D has cancelled the registration of several small-scale units producing energy-efficient lighting equipment on various grounds, causing hardship to the industry, the association said in its letter.

It has urged Sharma to get the quality of equipment produced by SSI units verified through some other independent agency.

The A+ Level certification was awarded to RIL for successfully fulfilling the required set and number of disclosures upon which Application Level A+ is awarded.

The '+' has been awarded to the Application Level because RIL has submitted a part of this report for external assurance, the company said in a statement.

RIL has consistently been achieving Application Level A+ certification from GRI for its Sustainability Reports over the past six years.

GRI is a non-profit organisation headquartered at Amsterdam that has pioneered the development of the world's most widely used sustainability reporting framework.