Centre to unveil new consumer policy soon

NEW DELHI: If you thought you couldn’t hit back through the system at that megabrand FMCG company that palmed off the faulty refrigerator on you, rest easy.

Years after economic liberalisation, the government is finally coming up with a National Consumer Policy that will detail and reinforce the rights of the consumer and the corresponding penalties of erring companies besides coining an entirely new system to ensure speedy disposal of cases.

The department of Consumer Affairs has constituted a committee for formulating the policy.

The 10-member panel, which will submit its draft policy within three months, will be chaired by the Principal Secretary of the Tamil Nadu government for Cooperation, food and consumer protection.

The broad terms of reference of the committee would be to examine all issues with the guidelines for consumer protection adopted by the United Nations in 1985.

Other members of the committee are the consumer affairs secretaries of Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, a nominee of Government of Tamil Nadu and a representative each of Consumer Unity & Trust Society, Jaipur; Consumer Education And Research Centre, Ahmedabad and Consumer Education Research, Teaching Training and Testing, Chennai.

The ministry has constituted yet another panel for evolving a suitable system for handling consumer complaints under the chairmanship of Consumer Affairs secretary of the West Bengal government.

Consumer clubs are also due, as part of the larger exercise to strengthen consumer awareness and enforce rights, for a new module to facilitate their activities.

The panel to go into this issue is prepare a calender of activities for the clubs for the entire year, and promote awareness against the background of the national consumer day and the World Consumer Rights Day besides interfacing with the state government and NGOs.