Tag: need for consumer awareness

2005 was a momentous year for right to information in India because it saw the enactment of a national right to information law. The Central Act was passed by the Indian Parliament on 12 May 2005 and received Presidential assent on 15 June 2005. It came into force on 12 October 2005.

Steps have been taken by government for consumer protection and awareness. Government adopted six points under joint action plan, which include:

• Action against fake, substandard products
  
• Developing a self-regulation code
  
• Launching of joint awareness campaigns
  
• Ear marking of CSR funds for consumer welfare activities
  
• Jointly developing and implementing industry standards for grievance and redressal
  
• All industry to partner with national and state helplines.
  

The measures take up by government to protect consumers from exploitation includes providing trademarks like ISI, AGMARK for agricultural goods, and Hall mark for gold. It also provides consumer education and awareness through various means like customer care services and making it necessary to mentioning as much as possible information about the product on the wrapper or outer cover.

The greedy practices followed by sellers to make extra profits as a result of lack of consumer awareness include underweight and under-measurements, poor quality goods, increased prices, black marketing, misleading advertisements to improve the sale of quality less goods, overcharging than the original.

The act that provides relief to buyers of goods in case the goods purchased do not comply with the expressed condition is the Sale of Goods Act.

Indian Tolls Act deals with Government to levy Tolls on Public Roads and Bridges and Sheriffs' Fees Act for making better provision for the Sheriffs of Calcutta, Madras and Bombay. These two acts have nothing to do with the customer service.

Grahak Suvidha Kendras are new initiatives of government which acts as a one stop centre for different consumer welfare services. By March 2015 there were six Grahak Suvidha Kendras located at Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Patna and Delhi. Therefore among the given options Hyderabad does not have Grahak Suvidha Kendras by March 2015.

The Standards of Weights and Measures Act was passed in the year 1976 by Indian Government. This was passed to establish standards of weights and measures, to regulate trade or commerce to safeguard consumer interests.

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is an act of parliament passed in the year 1986 to protect the interests of consumers in India. It is very important because of the following functions 

• The right to be protected against the marketing of goods which are hazardous to life and property, 
• The right to informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods, 
• The right to be assured, wherever possible access to a variety of goods at competitive prices.

AGMARK = Agricultural Mark i.e. the Certification and Standardization Mark for packaged Agricultural products in India. The AGMARK is legally enforced in India by the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act of 1937 (and amended in 1986).

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1986 to protect the interests of consumers in India. It makes provision for the establishment of consumer councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumers' disputes and for matters connected therewith also.