Consumer Affairs under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public
Distribution: The Department is entrusted with the following main works:
Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supply of Essential Commodities Act, 1980
Monitoring of Prices and Availability of essential commodities.
Implementing Consumer Protection Acts.
Bureau of Indian Standards:
The major functions are:
Preparation of standards relating to products, commodities, materials and processes.
Promotion of general standards at national and international levels.
Certification of industrial food products.
Circulation of information relating to standards and standardization.
Centre for Consumer Studies (CCS): The aim of the Centre is to perform, facilitate and promote better protection of Consumers' rights and interests with special reference to rural India.
Weights and Measures” This organization was set up in order to realize world uniformity in laws relating to legal metrology (weight and measures) and to make international trade smooth and practical.
The functions of this department are.
Conducting the model approval tests on weights and measuring instruments
Imparting training in legal metrology and allied subject.
Directorate of Marketing And Inspection
This Agency undertakes the grading and marking of a wide range of Unprocessed and semi-processed agricultural commodities such as spices, ghee, edible oil, butter, food grains etc. The main function of this Directorate is to provide for redressal of grievances and complaints of the consumer in respect of Agmark products. If the Agmark product purchased is found defective, the purchaser will be supplied free of cost replacement of the product or reimbursement of the cost.
Food testing laboratories set up under the prevention of food adulteration act, 1954.
The PFA Act protects the consumers against adulterated and contaminated food by laying down the guidelines for setting up the standards for various food items called the PFA standards. The Act makes it a criminal offence to sell any food product which is adulterated or misbranded.
Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTP Commission)
The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission was set up to prevent companies from indulging in monopolistic, restrictive and unfair trade practices. The MRTP Act 1963 enables the consumer to approach the commission for justice against exploitation by traders, for their false or misleading claims or advertisements.
National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
To provide cheap, speedy and simple redressal to consumer disputes, quasi-judicial machinery is set up at each District, State and National levels called District Forums, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission respectively. At present, there are 604 District Forums, 35 State Commissions with apex body as a National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) at New Delhi. National Commission is headed by a sitting or retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India. A written complaint, as amended by Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002, can be filed before National Commission (above Rupees One crore) in relation to a product or in respect of a service.
State Consumer Protection Council (SCPC): This council is helping in taking up matters affecting consumers at the policy level in Government. SCPC is liable to uphold the rights of the consumer under sections 6(a) to 6(f) of the CP Act.
State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission is headed by a sitting or retired Judge of the High Court of the state. A written complaint, as amended by Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002, can be filed before State Commission (up to Rupees One crore) in relation to a product or in respect of a service.
Dept. of Legal Metrology and Consumer Protection: Government is planning to change the name of Department of weights and measures to Dept. of Legal Metrology and Consumer Protection. The proposed objectives of this department are
1. Will act as single window agency to redress consumer grievances. 2. Consumers' protection provisions of all agencies will be brought under this Department. (Raghunandan, 2008)
DCPC specifically duty bound to protect the rights of the customers enshrined in the Consumer Protection Act. Consumers can also send their specific complaints by email/fax. District Collectors for redressal. Collectors, being District Magistrates, are also empowered under various sections of other laws to take up issues on behalf of consumers and protect their interests.
Lok Adalats: Another authority which can help a consumer seeking redressal of his grievance is the Lok Adalats or 'Open Durbars' or Open House. These Adalats are held to provide simple, effective, low cost litigations for cases involving breach of contract and small money claims, which a consumer may have against a public authority. Such Adalats provide definite advantage to a consumer since the whole procedure is simple, informal and the decision expeditious.
District forums:
District forum is headed by a sitting or retired Judge of District Court. A written complaint, as amended by Consumer Protection (Amendment) Act, 2002, can be filed before the District Consumer Forum up to Rupees twenty lakhs in relation to a product or in respect of a service.
Participants