New Delhi (NVI): Government is planning to bring measures for ensuring that toys available to children are of the required safety standards, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri said today.
Speaking at the event on ‘Value of Play – Importance of Toys and Games for Child Development’ here, Chaudhuri said “I understand that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is in the process of bringing out Quality Control Order for Toys to check the quality of toys imported and manufactured here.”
She said, “Recently released National Education Policy (NEP) has now recognized the importance of Play amongst children and the need to create a flexible, multifaceted, multilevel, play-based, activity-based, discovery-based education for children from ages 3-8 years.”
Learning through play is relevant throughout the whole early childhood period and beyond, she said, adding “I can see ‘Play’ is an important aspect related to some of our schemes.”
Highlighting the Sustainable Development Goals, she said the SDGs are addressed in the national development agenda of the government which are being implemented through various development schemes/programmes.
“I want to ensure on behalf of the government that development of child is high on the agenda and we would continue to take steps to ensure that our children’s growth is healthy and safe,” she added.
She also urged the industry, schools and civil society to partner with government schemes.
DPIITJoint Secretary Manmeet Nanda said that the government is in the process of coming out with a Quality Control Order (QCO) to check sub-standard imports and manufacturing of toy.
“The draft QCO has been notified to WTO for comments by members countries,” she said.
She also mentioned that they are working with BIS to ensure that conformity assessment scheme for toy sector is not cumbersome for the industry, as majority of the players in the sector are from MSME sector.
FICCI Toy Sector Committee and Director, Pleasantime Products (United Toys) Chairman
Vivek Jhangiani said that FICCI intends to work towards improving learning outcomes with play and robust early childhood development learning systems.
“To ensure that India’s children develop well, adequate investment in early childhood development is essential. This will be our small contribution towards achieving India’s Sustainable Development Goals as envisioned by the United nations,” he said.
