New Delhi, April 14 -- The Department of Consumer Affairs has taken a significant step towards strengthening consumer protection, promoting fair trade practices, and ensuring accurate gas usage measurement by framing draft rules for Gas Meters under the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said in a statement Monday that these rules make it mandatory for all gas meters used for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes to undergo testing, verification, and stamping prior to their use in trade and commerce.

The re-verification of these gas meters is also prescribed under the rules to ensure their correctness when they are in use.

The primary objective of these new rule...