New Delhi, Aug 20: The government is taking steps to expand the network of Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) under the Legal Metrology framework, with the aim of making verification services for weighing and measuring equipment more accessible and efficient.
The move is part of wider efforts to strengthen India’s measurement and testing infrastructure and ensure greater accuracy in commercial transactions. The amended framework has expanded the range of equipment that can be verified through approved centres, including several types of fuel dispensers.
The expanded system covers petrol and diesel dispensers, CNG, LPG, LNG and hydrogen dispensers, taking the total number of categories that GATCs can verify to 23. This is particularly relevant as India’s fuel and energy infrastructure continues to diversify.
The framework also gives state governments greater flexibility to notify additional categories of weights and measures that can be brought under the GATC system. This could help increase testing capacity according to local requirements and reduce delays in verification services.
For consumers, reliable verification of weighing and measuring equipment is important because it helps ensure that the quantity displayed during transactions matches the quantity actually delivered. Stronger testing infrastructure can therefore support greater transparency and confidence in everyday purchases.
The revised rules also provide for verification fees for fuel dispensers, including ₹5,000 per nozzle for petrol and diesel dispensers and ₹10,000 per nozzle for CNG, LPG, LNG and hydrogen dispensers.
The expansion is expected to allow Legal Metrology departments to focus more on inspection, enforcement and consumer grievance redressal, while approved testing centres take on a larger role in verification.
Overall, the reform is aimed at creating a more accessible, reliable and transparent measurement system, benefiting businesses while giving consumers greater confidence in the accuracy of weights, measures and fuel dispensing equipment.