The minister was speaking at the Grahak Jagaran Pakhwaad organised by Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP) Karnataka Prant.
Speaking at the Grahak Jagran Pakhwaad, Karnataka Minister for Higher Education, IT & BT, Science & Technology, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood Dr Ashwathnarayan CN said that despite powerful consumer protection laws in the country, consumers are cheated.
He said that it is possible to keep the producers and sellers of goods and services aware of the potential of consumer power by bringing them to the attention of the government and the courts through organizational power to punish the guilty and prevent the grahaks getting into trouble.
Many consumers are not aware about the laws which have been enacted by the government to protect them against poor quality goods and services. In the absence of awareness, the service providers are able to cheat the consumers.
Dr. Ashwathnarayan CN suggested that ABGP should organise more and more such consumer awareness programmes in educational institutes and organisations to spread the awareness about consumer laws.
The Grahak Jagaran Pakhwaad was held from December 15-30 and the national executive meeting of the ABGP took place on December 29-30.
In his address, the president of ABGP Narayan Bhai Shah said that the purpose of the ABGP is the creation of ‘Shoshan Mukth Bharat’ based on the great principle of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha”.
“Everyone is a citizen. All citizens are consumers. So ABGP is always ready for the relief of every consumer and ABGP is a voluntary organization and is working in all states across the country for the grahaks and for the sake of grahaks”, he said.
In the Pakhwaad, three-day exhibition was also organised from December 29-31 with the “concept of ‘Self-reliance’ – ‘Vocal for Local’ under Aahar (Food), Aarogya (Health), Shikshan (Education), Paryavaran / Vasathi (Environment /Housing) and Vyavahaar (Business Transactions) aayams (Dimensions) to educate consumers”.
On December 30, the Union government notified the rules for Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021.
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 promulgates a three-tier quasi-judicial mechanism for redressal of consumer disputes namely district commissions, state commissions and national commission. The Act also stipulates the pecuniary jurisdiction of each tier of consumer commission.
The Act also provides consumers the option of filing complaint electronically. To facilitate consumers in filing their complaints online, the Union Government has set up the E-Daakhil Portal, which provides a hassle-free, speedy and inexpensive facility to consumers around the country to conveniently approach the relevant consumer forum, dispensing the need to travel and be physically present to file their grievance.
