ISLAMABAD - The recently approved 61 quality standards by the cabinet mainly cover electronics, batteries, vehicles, food items, cosmetics, amusement rides and parks, surgical equipment, construction materials and farming fertilisers and pesticides.
These standards were approved by the federal cabinet on the summary moved by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The document available with The Nation reveals the list of all 61 items that were approved in the cabinet for their upgradation to the international standards.
Among the list, electronic items which are approved to be upgraded are the highest in numbers. Electronical gadgets and other products used in homes which are to be upgraded include Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) and Energy Star Rating for Television Receivers, sound system equipment (laud speakers), better quality headphones/ airpods, switches for household and similar fixed electrical installations (general requirements), clothes washing machine for household use, multiple split- system air-conditioners and air to air heat pumps and non-duck air conditioners, electric irons for household or similar use, plugs and socket-outlets for household and similar purposes (particular requirements for fused plugs and switched socket-outlets without interlock for fixed installation), household microwave ovens and upgradation of sockets (particular requirements for switched socket-outlets with interlock for fixed electrical installations).
The items in the list for upgradation further include vehicle parts such as premium quality rubber tyres for every ride (cycle/car or truck), the quality of tyre rim and carbon body car sheets.
For fertilisers and pesticides, the list approved contains multi nutrient fertilisers, bio fertilisers, ammonium sulphate fertilisers and potassium sulphate fertilisers. Whereas the surgical and hospital equipment and machinery for upgradation are medical diagnostic X-ray equipment, medical electrical equipments - dosimeters with ionization chambers as used
in radiotherapy, heat-treatable steels, alloy steels and free-cutting steels for surgeries, Spectacle frames and Sterile Surgical Glove.
Many items in the list for upgradation are related to construction materials and steel or iron. For example, hot-rolled carbon steel sheets, cold reduced carbon steel sheets, aluminum and aluminum alloys (chemical composition and mechanical properties), safety of amusement rides and amusement devices plus requirements for inspection during their designing, manufacturing, operationing and usage, buried polyethylene (PE) pipes for the supply of gaseous fuels metric series-specification, polyethylene (PE) pipes for water supply-specification, polypropylene (PP) pipes dimensions, polyethylene up right storage tanks, sanitary taps and chemical admixture for concrete are included in the list shared by an official at the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The list of cosmetics which are to be upgraded and approved are hair oils/ creams, face-wash/creams and Skin powders.
The food items which are to be standardised are tetra packed fruit juices sold in the markets, the quality of wheat flour, Coffee and its manufacturing and lastly cooking and other types of oil manufacturing and their quality.
Apart from these items, UPS and different types of electric cables are also listed in the document.
Minister for science and technology had explained to this correspondent on Monday at his office that the step was taken to enhance the lifestyle of a common man. He explained that maintaining good quality in basic commodities as well as things oftenly used, improves not only lifestyle but also comforts the users.