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Shri Pawar expressed concern over the pendency in the consumer courts beyond the periods specified in the Consumer Protection Act for disposal of cases. Even after sustained efforts the cases were not being disposed of in several cases within the statutory period of 90 to 150 days though the disposal of cases in consumer courts had started improving gradually, the minister observed.
The National Consumer Help Line and the CORE Centre when developed properly could play a major role in improving the effectiveness of Voluntary Consumer Organisation and District Consumer Information Centres, as the consumers are being empowered with information technology through these centres, the minister hoped. The consumer forums should ensure that the aggrieved consumers should get proper compensation and in cases where large number of consumers are involved the defaulter industry should be penalized in a deterrent manner. Where such penalty could not be refunded to consumers the amount should be deposited in the Consumer Welfare Fund of the State/Centre as provided in the Consumer Protection Act, the minister added.
Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in his address underlined the need for producing quality products strictly adhering to standardization for survival of our industry in foreign markets. Quick attention to complaints, speedy redressal of grievances, fair and just system of deterent actions are some of ways to ensure consumer confidence. Government has to strengthen the implementation of other enactments like the Trade Mark Act, 1999, the Copyright Act 1957, the Patents Act, 1979 the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 etc. for the welfare of the consumer, the Minister said.
Shri Maran who released a special postal cover to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day reiterated the services provided by postal department in India through its network of 1.55 lakh post offices in the country. The Department is handling nearly 14,000 million articles per annum with the prime objective of serving the consumer in a friendly environment. The Postal Department has taken the initiative to implement a Citizens’ Charter in all major post offices to enable customers to evaluate the performance of the Department through interactive bodies like the Post Forum. The Department is also running computerized Customer Care Centres in every district of the country besides making considerable progress through e-governance in the field of settlement of public grievances through computerized and inter-connected Customer Care Centres all over the country, the Minister said.
Shri Taslimuddin, Minister of State for Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution called upon the public to assume special responsibilities for safeguarding consumer interest and work like a watchdog of the society to pin point and focus the unethical and unfair trade practices being followed by trade and industry. The Department of Consumer Affairs has prepared a National Action Plan for Consumer Protection and the Planning Commission has also considerably increased the allocation for awareness programme to educate consumer about their rights, the Minister informed. The Minister also released a monograph on Consumer Protection on this occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Justice Shri M.B. Shah, President, National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) emphasized the need for ensuring quality standards for genetically modified products being introduced in India. It should also be ensured that traditional products should be made available for consumers despite competition from genetically modified products, he suggested.
Shri L. Mansingh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs in his welcome address enumerated the steps being taken by the ministry to protect the interest of the consumer. Expressing concern over the instances of adulteration in food products the recent case being adulteration of chill powder, he emphasized the need for tackling the menace of adulteration by enforcing minimum standards to protect genuine products. He said the ministry is empowering the consumer groups to spread awareness about the rights and responsibilities of consumer especially in rural areas as an active consumer base alone could save the consumer from exploitation.
World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated on March 15 every year. This year’s theme is “Crusade Against Adulteration, Counterfeiting and Spurious Products”. Shri Sharad Pawar flagged off a road roller to crush a collection of spurious products demonstrating destruction of counterfeit/spurious products on this occasion.
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