Question : Consumer Awareness

(a) whether the Government has implemented any policy/strategy to educate/make aware consumers about their rights across the country particularly in rural areas, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has sought participation of Panchayati Raj Institutions for effective implementation of the said policy/strategy in rural areas of the country, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the complaints about violation of consumer rights have increased in the country during each of the last three years and the current year, if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; and
(d) the steps taken by the Government to protect the rights of the consumers particularly rural consumers?

THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b) : The Government carries out a multi-media “Jago Grahak Jago” campaign on Pan-India basis covering both rural and urban areas through print, electronic and outdoor media. Grants-in-aid are also released to States/UTs for creating consumer awareness in the respective States/UTs in their regional languages so as to further ensure that the campaign reaches the rural and backward areas of the country by way of focusing on hoardings, village mandis, agricultural regulated markets/vegetables markets at prominent places in rural areas.

(c) & (d) : A statement showing the number of complaints received from the consumers, State/UT-wise in the National Consumer Helpline being run by the Department of Consumer Affairs in the last three years and the current year is at Annexure. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 has been enacted to provide for better protection of the rights of the consumers, which includes the rural consumers. Under the provisions of the said Act, a three-tier quasi-judicial mechanism, called Consumer Fora, has been established at the district, State and National levels to provide simple, inexpensive and speedy justice to consumer complaints. Besides, the Department of Consumer Affairs runs a National Consumer Helpline with a toll free number 1800-11-4000 and a short code 14404, to deal with consumer grievances.

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