Streamlining Trade: National Legal Metrology Portal Launched

The government has introduced the National Legal Metrology Portal, eMaap, to ensure fair trade and consumer protection by simplifying processes for licensing, verifications, and compliance. This centralized system integrates state legal metrology departments, facilitating ease of business and enhancing transparency in trade practices.

The government is moving forward with the development of the National Legal Metrology Portal, named eMaap, aimed at ensuring fair trade and consumer protection. A statement released by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution on Wednesday highlighted that the portal will streamline processes for issuing licenses, conducting verifications, and managing enforcement and compliance.

eMaap will bring together State Legal Metrology Departments and their portals into a Unified National System, enhancing enforcement and compliance measures. The centralized database will eradicate the need for stakeholders to register on multiple state portals, promoting ease of doing business and transparency in trade practices. Presently, each state operates its own portal for registering packaged commodities and handling licenses and verification processes. However, the enforcement and compounding of offences remain offline. The Department of Consumer Affairs is integrating state portals into eMaap, encompassing all legal metrology functions to create a unified database.

Consultations led by the Secretary of Consumer Affairs have been held to shape the portal. On August 30th, 2024, a hybrid meeting with Legal Metrology Controllers and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) addressed the initial framework. Further discussions occurred on November 28th, involving industry stakeholders such as FICCI, CII, PHD, ASSOCHAM, and state representatives, aiming to refine the portal for traders, manufacturers, and packers. Suggestions from these consultations are being incorporated for efficiency and user-friendliness.

eMaap aims to simplify key procedures like issuing, renewing, and amending licenses, verification and stamping processes, and more. It will minimize compliance burdens, reduce paperwork, and ensure timely adherence to the Legal Metrology Act and its rules, fostering a transparent business environment. The portal is expected to boost manufacturing growth by enhancing efficiency and accountability, the ministry noted.

For consumers, eMaap guarantees verified trade instruments, boosting confidence in market transactions. It offers a transparent legal metrology system, facilitating easy certificate access and promoting awareness of consumer rights and responsibilities. For governments, it provides data-driven decision-making capabilities, streamlining enforcement activities, and aiding in policy formation, thereby ensuring a robust regulatory framework, the ministry stated.

(With inputs from agencies.)