(a) whether the work of Consumer Courts is getting affected due to lack of resources;
(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government of ensure adequate resources to the Consumer Courts;
(c) the current status of pendency of cases in Consumer Courts in the North Eastern States alongwith the steps being taken for early disposal of such cases; and
(d) the details of the measures taken by the Government for modernisation and improvement in the functioning of the Consumer Courts?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI TASLIMUDDIN)
(a) & (b): It is the responsibility of the State
Governments to establish consumer forums at the State and
district level and to provide all the required infrastructure
for their effective functioning from their own funds. However,
in order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments,
Central Govt. has provided financial assistance of Rs. 10.20
crores during the year 2004-2005 covering certain States for
the present for strengthening the infrastructure of new
consumer forums. Earlier, Rs. 61.80 crores were given to all
the States/UTs during the period 1995-99 for the same purpose.
(c) : The current status of pendency of cases in Consumer
Forums in the North Eastern States as per the information
available with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal
Commission(NCDRC) is given in the Annexure.
The State Commissions and District Forums of the
said States are being requested to dispose of the cases as
early as possible. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 has also
been amended recently in the year 2002 with a view to
facilitate quicker disposal of complaints, enhancing the
capability of redressal agencies, strengthening them with more
powers, streamlining the procedures and widening the scope of
the Act so as to make it more functional.
(d) : In addition to the financial assistance provided by
the Government for strengthening the infrastructure of
Consumer Forums, the Government has also launched a scheme for
“Computerization and Computer Networking of Consumer forums
in the Country†for the modernization and improvement in the
functioning of consumer forums. This scheme amounting to Rs.
48.64 crores is being implemented through National Informatics
Centre (NIC) as a turn key project in three phases in three
years from 2004-05 and aims to provide I.T. solutions in order
to achieve e-governance, transparency and efficiency.
ANNEXURE
STATEMENT REFFERED TO IN PART (c) OF REPLY TO LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6499 FOR ANSWER ON 9/05/2005
REGARDING PENDING CONSUMER CASES.
The total number of cases pending in consumer forums in the North Eastern States:
Sl.No. States State District Forums Commission
Cases As on Cases As on Pending Pending
1 Arunachal Pradesh 9 31.12.2004 40 31.12.2004 2 Assam 856 31.12.2004 884 30.9.2004 3 Manipur 27 30.6.2003 35 31.12.2003 4 Meghalaya 39 30.6.2003 14 30.9.2003 5 Mizoram 42 30.6.2004 240 30.6.2004 6 Nagaland 7 31.12.2004 49 30.6.2004 7 Sikkim 2 30.6.2004 2 30.6.2004 8 Tripura 220 31.3.2005 175 31.1.2004