Himalayan Mail, Amritsar, June 27
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Jammu & Kashmir Branch Office (JKBO), successfully organized two back-to-back Capacity Building Training Programs for officials of the Department of Agriculture and the Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, on 26th and 27th June 2025, respectively. The programs aimed to enhance understanding of Indian Standards (IS) and promote their application in public service delivery. On Day 1, the training for Agriculture Department officials was held under the guidance of Dr. Baljinder Singh Bhullar, Chief Agriculture Officer, Amritsar. Sh. Tilak Raj, Director & Head, BIS JKBO, inaugurated the session and outlined the mandate of BIS. Technical sessions included presentations by Mr. Kamal Jit Ghai and Mr. Suresh Gopal on micro-irrigation systems and agrotextiles, covering IS specifications, design considerations, and their impact on agricultural productivity. On Day 2, the focus shifted to municipal governance. With the guidance of Sh. Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, IAS, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Amritsar, and inauguration by Sh. Surendra Singh, Additional Commissioner, the training covered IS 14534 for plastic waste management and IS 17482 for piped drinking water systems. Emphasis was laid on quality assurance, effective implementation, and sustainability in municipal services. Both sessions were conceptualized and coordinated by Sh. Ashish Kumar Dwivedi, Standards Promotion Officer, BIS JKBO. The interactive format, hands-on demonstrations, and technical depth were well appreciated by the participants, who acknowledged the practical value of standardization in improving governance and service delivery. The initiative reflects BIS’s continued efforts to build institutional capacities through the systematic adoption of Indian Standards in key sectors.