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Steel ministry defers quality rules on imports amid importer concerns
The Union Ministry of Steel has postponed the enforcement of its June 13 Quality Control Order (QCO) on finished steel imports by four months, according to a report by LiveMint. The decision comes after small importers expressed concerns about steel shipments that are already on their way to India.
According to a letter reviewed by LiveMint, the ministry held discussions with industry stakeholders on July 7 and decided to ease the upcoming rules. It will temporarily allow steel imports without the required Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS-) certification.
As per the 13 June notification, importers would have been required to get BIS certification for all incoming finished steel products. The move was part of the government's effort to tighten quality checks on steel imports.
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