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The fourth National Convention of Consumer Coordination Council was inaugurated here today with the theme,` Empowering the Consumer to Demand Quality Goods and Services’. Addressing the inaugural session of the convention, Shri Taslimuddin, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs underlined the need for spreading the message of consumer rights and the existence of redressal mechanism for consumers’ grievances to the rural population. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution should involve schools and colleges for reaching the concept of consumer protection to villages, he added.
In his address, Justice Shri M. B. Shah, Chairman of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) pointed out that the Consumer Protecton Act has empowered the cause of consumers in the country. What is required is to implement the provisions of the Act strictly. Another important requirement is to ensure consumer education, consumer empowerment and speedy redressal to consumer grievances. Referring to the often complained delay in the disposal of cases, Justice Shah said that one of the reasons for the delay was the absence of adequate infrastructure facility and delay in appointment of staff in consumer fora in many of the states. The country needed strong voluntary organizations to take up the problems of consumers with manufacturers and traders to make available quality goods at reasonable prices.
Shri L. Mansingh, Secretary, Consumer Affairs, emphasized the need for creating awareness among the consumers and reducing the time taken by consumer courts in providing relief to aggrieved consumers. Consumer courts should be the last resort for consumers. Grievances should be sorted out at the initial stage itself with the adoption of consumer friendly measurers by manufacturers of goods and service providers, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Satwant Reddy, Secretary, Ministry of Chemicals and Petrochemicals pointed out that several initiatives taken by the Department of Consumer Affairs in the recent past have taken roots in serving consumer interests. Petrochemical and pharmaceutical policy being drafted by the Ministry of Chemicals and Petrochemicals would keep in view the interests of consumer in its totality, she said.
Smt. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women, stressed the need for creating consumer awareness in rural areas. Expressing concern over the instances of adulteration in food articles sold in the markets, she suggested formulation of strict legislation and its sensitive execution to prevent the problem. She also called upon the non governmental organizations and women’s groups to take up the cause of consumers including proper running of public distribution system.
Draft standards developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards on quick methods for detection of adulteration/contamination in common food products was also released on the occasion.
The two- day convention is being attended by more than 1000 delegates of various consumer organizations from the country besides representatives from Pakistan, Bangla Desh, Nepal, Brazil etc.
SBK-CP
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