Vijayawada: The National Test House (NTH), part of the Department of Consumer Affairs, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Union Ministry of Power. This MoU urges State Designated Agencies (SDAs) in Southern states and proactive regions, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Union Territories, to implement rigorous measures to promote the Star Labeling Programme.
Milind Deora, secretary of BEE, along with directors Kamran Shaik, Smt. P Samal and Abhishek Sharma, discussed the benefits of the MoU. They emphasised that the agreement will significantly enhance capacity building and market surveillance, ensuring strict monitoring of Star-labeled electrical appliances in accordance with the Energy Conservation Act, ultimately benefiting consumers.
The MoU was formalised in the presence of Nidhi Khare, secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs; Pankaj Agarwal, secretary of the Ministry of Power; and Dr. Srikanth Nagulapalli, Director General of BEE. The signing was conducted by Milind Deora and Alok Kumar Srivastava, Director General of NTH.
Deora highlighted that BEE is encouraging consumers to select star-rated appliances due to their financial and environmental advantages. He also called on SDAs to intensify their efforts in promoting these appliances, focusing initially on major cities and towns such as Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Rajahmundry, and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh; Hyderabad, Warangal, Sanga Reddy, Khammam, and Mahabubnagar in Telangana; and Bengaluru, Mysore, and Hubli in Karnataka.
Nidhi Khare underscored the importance of high-quality, durable products for consumers. "Products should be designed to last, not fail. This MoU marks the beginning of a strong partnership between NTH and BEE, dedicated to upholding consumer rights and ensuring product reliability," she stated.
