Context: Recently, on the occasion of National Consumer Day 2024, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Minister of New and Renewable Energy addressed key initiatives aimed at protecting consumer rights.
- Theme for 2024: “Virtual Hearings & Digital Access to Consumer Justice,”.
- The Theme highlights the importance of digital tools in ensuring consumers can access justice in a digital world.
These initiatives include:
- Safety Pledge by E-commerce Platforms: Major platforms, including those from Reliance, Tata, Zomato, and Swiggy, will sign a voluntary commitment to ensure consumer safety, aligning with global best practices.
- Launch of Consumer Protection Apps:
- ‘Jago Grahak Jago App’: Alerts consumers about unsafe URLs during online activities.
- ‘Jagriti App’: Allows users to report dark patterns (manipulative online tactics) on e-commerce platforms.
- ‘Jagriti Dashboard’: Helps monitor and regulate dark patterns in real time.
- e-Mapp Portal: A unified platform for legal metrology services, improving licensing, verification, and registration processes across states.
- AI-Enabled National Consumer Helpline (NCH) 2.0: Enhanced with AI features and multilingual support to speed up grievance resolution.
- Smart Standards from 2025: Transitioning to machine-readable standards to support digital systems.
- Inauguration of Testing Laboratories:
- Organic Food Testing Lab in Guwahati to safeguard food safety.
- Low Voltage Switch Gear Testing Facility in Mumbai to ensure electrical safety.
- Software Testing Facility for Weighing Instruments: Ensures accuracy and global compliance, supporting domestic manufacturers.
- Tomato Grand Challenge: Awards for innovative technologies that improve tomato storage and reduce waste.
- Legal Metrology MoU with Gujarat National Law University: Promotes research and training on consumer rights and standards.
- Reports and e-Books: Launching updates on consumer protection laws and packaged commodities rules.
About National Consumer Day
- National Consumer Day is celebrated every year on 24th December in India. A.D.
- The Consumer Rights Act (CP Act), was approved by the President of India on 24 December 1986.
- According to the Consumer Protection Act, every Indian consumer has six rights.
- Right to security
- Right to Information
- Right to choose
- Right to have a say
- Right to grievance and redressal
- Right to education on consumer rights
- Under CP Act, of 1986, there is a three-tier system to resolve consumer disputes quickly:
- District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum: Handles complaints where the value of goods/services, including compensation, is up to Rs. 20 Lakhs.
- State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: Deals with complaints where the value is up to Rs. 1 Crore and appeals from District Forum decisions.
- National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission: Handles complaints where the value exceeds Rs. 1 Crore and appeals from State Commission decisions.