The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had set in motion a consumer movement in the country. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which came into effect from 20th July 2020, and replaces the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 would give greater fillip to the ongoing consumer movement in the country.The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class. The Act provides for simplifying the consumer dispute adjudication process in the Consumer Commissions, which include, among others, empowerment of the State and District Commissions to review their own Orders, enabling a consumer to file complaints electronically and file complaints in Consumer Commissions that have jurisdiction over the place of his residence, video conferencing for hearing and deemed admissibility of complaints if the question of admissibility is not decided within the specified period of 21 days. To simplify the adjudication process, mediation, as an Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanism, has been provided in the new Act. The Act introduces the concept of product liability and brings within its scope the product manufacturer, the product service provider and the product seller, for any claim for compensation.
To protect the interests of the consumers, the Govt. has launched the “Jago Grahak Jago” campaign through electronic and print media for consumer awareness and joint awareness campaigns on consumer rights and responsibilities in key sectors – Health, Food, Financial Services and other Departments for greater consumer awareness. The Government has set up a National Consumer Helpline and to cater to the needs of consumers, regional languages, six Zonal Consumer Helplines have also been set up at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, Guwahati & Patna.
The Consumers have been able to redress their grievances/ complaints against any defect in goods purchased or deficiencies in any services availed including any unfair/restrictive trade practices adopted, through specialized quasi-judicial agencies, now commonly known as ‘consumer commissions’, that have been established at the District level (District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission), State level (State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission) and National level (National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission). These consumer commissions have been mandated by the law to render simple, inexpensive and speedy adjudication of consumer complaints. The details of cases filed and disposed of by the Consumer Commissions in the last three years 2017, 2018, 2019 and current year is as follows-
NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION
2017
2018
2019
2020 (till 13.09.2020)
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
10807
5883
8992
6379
7800
6530
2327
2486
STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION
2017
2018
2019
2020 (till 13.09.2020)
Name of the State
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Andhra Pradesh
571
466
738
362
539
647
76
254
A & N Islands
4
6
2
5
8
1
2
0
Arunachal Pradesh
4
2
11
0
3
4
0
0
Assam
119
16
127
36
72
39
12
13
Bihar
295
96
164
37
87
2
26
0
Chandigarh
1236
1191
887
997
646
591
252
130
Chattisgarh
1096
1137
1190
1163
1090
1044
325
438
D & N Haveli / Daman &Diu
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Delhi
2965
2175
2357
1745
1864
1858
329
457
Goa
238
165
194
139
129
188
32
25
Gujarat
1046
1189
1297
1219
1143
1289
494
381
Haryana
2620
1425
2236
1189
1624
717
520
154
Himachal Pradesh
414
276
459
339
536
419
155
142
Jammu & Kashmir
54
29
71
9
25
18
0
0
Jharkhand
353
56
332
43
139
42
36
12
Karnataka
586
0
14
0
1142
9
753
5
Kerala
1185
418
990
587
616
587
190
177
Lakshadweep
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Madhya Pradesh
2520
576
829
1141
2831
2145
800
606
Maharashtra
3485
932
2546
1382
2829
1694
774
243
Manipur
11
14
14
6
10
5
4
0
Meghalaya
5
2
3
1
0
0
0
0
Mizoram
8
0
11
6
3
1
2
0
Nagaland
0
0
10
2
5
6
0
0
Orissa
960
254
700
123
542
146
182
237
Pondicherry
41
31
17
26
7
1
6
1
Punjab
2072
2491
1817
2024
1874
1689
500
703
Rajasthan
1678
2153
1355
1746
1651
1720
496
532
Sikkim
4
4
5
3
7
8
0
3
Tamilnadu
562
334
559
287
514
280
99
504
Telangana
918
1029
1029
663
1100
560
616
173
Tripura
68
80
47
54
52
51
12
21
Uttar Pradesh
3096
3809
2904
2544
1984
1881
490
339
Uttarakhand
212
294
331
289
508
155
138
10
West Bengal
2641
2164
2140
2692
2088
2080
515
455
Total
31067
22814
25387
20859
25668
19877
7836
6015
DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION
Name of the State
2017
2018
2019
2020 (till 13.09.2020)
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Andhra Pradesh
1761
2205
1935
1791
1974
1289
494
204
A & N Islands
32
28
24
40
34
27
14
9
Arunachal Pradesh
14
19
26
10
27
4
0
0
Assam
452
423
406
382
354
192
131
62
Bihar
2408
479
3015
1403
3236
1732
826
367
Chandigarh
1845
2053
1424
1573
2346
1972
776
532
Chattisgarh
3218
2497
4531
3505
4248
4126
1604
1438
D & N Haveli / Daman & Diu
8
4
8
1
3
2
0
0
Delhi
5261
4026
4362
4727
4255
4103
1016
835
Goa
190
444
169
180
182
189
78
61
Gujarat
7739
6682
8222
6267
11545
6755
4843
2588
Haryana
7671
10048
7509
7255
11352
7947
5138
1862
Himachal Pradesh
1464
1591
1411
1523
1491
1697
274
262
Jammu & Kashmir
421
100
413
314
189
127
0
0
Jharkhand
1199
646
1222
627
945
294
232
32
Karnataka
8061
9500
8909
8533
8887
8126
3193
2487
Kerala
5317
5234
4729
4596
4937
2862
2148
1095
Lakshadweep
4
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
Madhya Pradesh
10560
7530
8312
4013
11935
10019
5357
2746
Maharashtra
12268
13714
14964
12279
16691
13752
6083
3795
Manipur
26
30
18
18
25
12
2
8
Meghalaya
51
26
48
26
39
33
7
1
Mizoram
55
30
67
33
49
18
11
47
Nagaland
10
0
12
0
11
0
0
0
Orissa
3360
2538
2934
2167
3367
1390
1559
567
Pondicherry
59
57
41
54
54
0
15
0
Punjab
7913
6684
8524
6097
9667
7376
4475
1751
Rajasthan
14998
14356
10681
11295
9813
11509
5012
2559
Sikkim
17
13
25
19
27
21
1
2
Tamilnadu
2729
2231
2826
3040
3107
2596
867
414
Telangana
1769
1604
2173
1887
2258
2238
777
1197
Tripura
182
183
109
134
149
121
66
31
Uttar Pradesh
16580
9839
16844
10485
17982
7716
5754
1576
Uttarakhand
1058
774
1172
1253
1356
1891
823
677
West Bengal
5442
5447
5088
4523
5512
4361
1588
900
Total
124142
111038
122153
100052
138047
104497
53164
28105
The Consumer Welfare Fund was created in 1992 with the objective of providing financial assistance to promote and protect the welfare of the consumers, create consumer awareness and strengthen consumer movement in the country. Financial assistance is provided to Voluntary Consumer Organisations / Institutions for undertaking consumer advocacy / awareness and to State Government / Union Territories for setting up State Consumer Welfare Fund. The details of funds provided to States / UTs for strengthening the consumer movement during each of the last three years and the current year, State / UT-wise is as follows-
GRANTS RELEASED TO STATE GOVERNMENTS UNDER CONSUMER WELFARE FUND
Financial Year 2017-18
S. No.
State / UT
Amount Released
1.
Jharkhand
Rs 313.47 Lakh
2.
Nagaland
Rs 60.00 Lakh
3.
Telangana
Rs 479.00 Lakh
Total
Rs 852.47 Lakh
Financial Year 2018-19
S. No.
State / UT
Amount Released
1.
Andhra Pradesh
Rs 133.92 Lakh
2.
Jharkhand
Rs 36.53 Lakh
3.
Rajasthan
Rs 750.00 Lakh
4.
Telangana
Rs 0.08 Lakh
Total
Rs 920.53 Lakh
Financial Year 2019-20
S. No.
State / UT
Amount Released
1.
Andhra Pradesh
Rs 48.64 Lakh
2.
Mizoram
Rs 180.00 Lakh
3.
Sikkim
Rs 450.00 Lakh
4.
West Bengal
Rs 750.00 Lakh
Total
Rs 1428.64 Lakh
Financial Year 2020-21: Nil
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Danve Rao saheb Dadarao in Lok Sabha today.
*****
APS/SG/MS
The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had set in motion a consumer movement in the country. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 which came into effect from 20th July 2020, and replaces the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 would give greater fillip to the ongoing consumer movement in the country.The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers as a class. The Act provides for simplifying the consumer dispute adjudication process in the Consumer Commissions, which include, among others, empowerment of the State and District Commissions to review their own Orders, enabling a consumer to file complaints electronically and file complaints in Consumer Commissions that have jurisdiction over the place of his residence, video conferencing for hearing and deemed admissibility of complaints if the question of admissibility is not decided within the specified period of 21 days. To simplify the adjudication process, mediation, as an Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanism, has been provided in the new Act. The Act introduces the concept of product liability and brings within its scope the product manufacturer, the product service provider and the product seller, for any claim for compensation.
To protect the interests of the consumers, the Govt. has launched the “Jago Grahak Jago” campaign through electronic and print media for consumer awareness and joint awareness campaigns on consumer rights and responsibilities in key sectors – Health, Food, Financial Services and other Departments for greater consumer awareness. The Government has set up a National Consumer Helpline and to cater to the needs of consumers, regional languages, six Zonal Consumer Helplines have also been set up at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, Guwahati & Patna.
The Consumers have been able to redress their grievances/ complaints against any defect in goods purchased or deficiencies in any services availed including any unfair/restrictive trade practices adopted, through specialized quasi-judicial agencies, now commonly known as ‘consumer commissions’, that have been established at the District level (District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission), State level (State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission) and National level (National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission). These consumer commissions have been mandated by the law to render simple, inexpensive and speedy adjudication of consumer complaints. The details of cases filed and disposed of by the Consumer Commissions in the last three years 2017, 2018, 2019 and current year is as follows-
NATIONAL CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION
2017
2018
2019
2020 (till 13.09.2020)
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
10807
5883
8992
6379
7800
6530
2327
2486
STATE CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION
2017
2018
2019
2020 (till 13.09.2020)
Name of the State
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Andhra Pradesh
571
466
738
362
539
647
76
254
A & N Islands
4
6
2
5
8
1
2
0
Arunachal Pradesh
4
2
11
0
3
4
0
0
Assam
119
16
127
36
72
39
12
13
Bihar
295
96
164
37
87
2
26
0
Chandigarh
1236
1191
887
997
646
591
252
130
Chattisgarh
1096
1137
1190
1163
1090
1044
325
438
D & N Haveli / Daman &Diu
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Delhi
2965
2175
2357
1745
1864
1858
329
457
Goa
238
165
194
139
129
188
32
25
Gujarat
1046
1189
1297
1219
1143
1289
494
381
Haryana
2620
1425
2236
1189
1624
717
520
154
Himachal Pradesh
414
276
459
339
536
419
155
142
Jammu & Kashmir
54
29
71
9
25
18
0
0
Jharkhand
353
56
332
43
139
42
36
12
Karnataka
586
0
14
0
1142
9
753
5
Kerala
1185
418
990
587
616
587
190
177
Lakshadweep
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Madhya Pradesh
2520
576
829
1141
2831
2145
800
606
Maharashtra
3485
932
2546
1382
2829
1694
774
243
Manipur
11
14
14
6
10
5
4
0
Meghalaya
5
2
3
1
0
0
0
0
Mizoram
8
0
11
6
3
1
2
0
Nagaland
0
0
10
2
5
6
0
0
Orissa
960
254
700
123
542
146
182
237
Pondicherry
41
31
17
26
7
1
6
1
Punjab
2072
2491
1817
2024
1874
1689
500
703
Rajasthan
1678
2153
1355
1746
1651
1720
496
532
Sikkim
4
4
5
3
7
8
0
3
Tamilnadu
562
334
559
287
514
280
99
504
Telangana
918
1029
1029
663
1100
560
616
173
Tripura
68
80
47
54
52
51
12
21
Uttar Pradesh
3096
3809
2904
2544
1984
1881
490
339
Uttarakhand
212
294
331
289
508
155
138
10
West Bengal
2641
2164
2140
2692
2088
2080
515
455
Total
31067
22814
25387
20859
25668
19877
7836
6015
DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL COMMISSION
Name of the State
2017
2018
2019
2020 (till 13.09.2020)
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Filed
Disposed
Andhra Pradesh
1761
2205
1935
1791
1974
1289
494
204
A & N Islands
32
28
24
40
34
27
14
9
Arunachal Pradesh
14
19
26
10
27
4
0
0
Assam
452
423
406
382
354
192
131
62
Bihar
2408
479
3015
1403
3236
1732
826
367
Chandigarh
1845
2053
1424
1573
2346
1972
776
532
Chattisgarh
3218
2497
4531
3505
4248
4126
1604
1438
D & N Haveli / Daman & Diu
8
4
8
1
3
2
0
0
Delhi
5261
4026
4362
4727
4255
4103
1016
835
Goa
190
444
169
180
182
189
78
61
Gujarat
7739
6682
8222
6267
11545
6755
4843
2588
Haryana
7671
10048
7509
7255
11352
7947
5138
1862
Himachal Pradesh
1464
1591
1411
1523
1491
1697
274
262
Jammu & Kashmir
421
100
413
314
189
127
0
0
Jharkhand
1199
646
1222
627
945
294
232
32
Karnataka
8061
9500
8909
8533
8887
8126
3193
2487
Kerala
5317
5234
4729
4596
4937
2862
2148
1095
Lakshadweep
4
3
0
2
0
0
0
0
Madhya Pradesh
10560
7530
8312
4013
11935
10019
5357
2746
Maharashtra
12268
13714
14964
12279
16691
13752
6083
3795
Manipur
26
30
18
18
25
12
2
8
Meghalaya
51
26
48
26
39
33
7
1
Mizoram
55
30
67
33
49
18
11
47
Nagaland
10
0
12
0
11
0
0
0
Orissa
3360
2538
2934
2167
3367
1390
1559
567
Pondicherry
59
57
41
54
54
0
15
0
Punjab
7913
6684
8524
6097
9667
7376
4475
1751
Rajasthan
14998
14356
10681
11295
9813
11509
5012
2559
Sikkim
17
13
25
19
27
21
1
2
Tamilnadu
2729
2231
2826
3040
3107
2596
867
414
Telangana
1769
1604
2173
1887
2258
2238
777
1197
Tripura
182
183
109
134
149
121
66
31
Uttar Pradesh
16580
9839
16844
10485
17982
7716
5754
1576
Uttarakhand
1058
774
1172
1253
1356
1891
823
677
West Bengal
5442
5447
5088
4523
5512
4361
1588
900
Total
124142
111038
122153
100052
138047
104497
53164
28105
The Consumer Welfare Fund was created in 1992 with the objective of providing financial assistance to promote and protect the welfare of the consumers, create consumer awareness and strengthen consumer movement in the country. Financial assistance is provided to Voluntary Consumer Organisations / Institutions for undertaking consumer advocacy / awareness and to State Government / Union Territories for setting up State Consumer Welfare Fund. The details of funds provided to States / UTs for strengthening the consumer movement during each of the last three years and the current year, State / UT-wise is as follows-
GRANTS RELEASED TO STATE GOVERNMENTS UNDER CONSUMER WELFARE FUND
Financial Year 2017-18
S. No.
State / UT
Amount Released
1.
Jharkhand
Rs 313.47 Lakh
2.
Nagaland
Rs 60.00 Lakh
3.
Telangana
Rs 479.00 Lakh
Total
Rs 852.47 Lakh
Financial Year 2018-19
S. No.
State / UT
Amount Released
1.
Andhra Pradesh
Rs 133.92 Lakh
2.
Jharkhand
Rs 36.53 Lakh
3.
Rajasthan
Rs 750.00 Lakh
4.
Telangana
Rs 0.08 Lakh
Total
Rs 920.53 Lakh
Financial Year 2019-20
S. No.
State / UT
Amount Released
1.
Andhra Pradesh
Rs 48.64 Lakh
2.
Mizoram
Rs 180.00 Lakh
3.
Sikkim
Rs 450.00 Lakh
4.
West Bengal
Rs 750.00 Lakh
Total
Rs 1428.64 Lakh
Financial Year 2020-21: Nil
This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Danve Rao saheb Dadarao in Lok Sabha today.
*****
APS/SG/MS