CONSUMERS POWER
-
Upload
surinder-verma -
Category
Documents
-
view
215 -
download
1
description
Transcript of CONSUMERS POWER
![Page 1: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Consumers
POWER1.1
A bi-monthly resource for the consumers
Rs.25May 2010
Inaugural Issue
Are YOU the Kingin India?
09 Charter of Telecom Services
19 Consumer’s Role in Dispute Redressal System in India
PA G E 5
Impact of Adson Rural ConsumersPA G E 1 0
Standards:A Part of Your LifePA G E 2 3
State of Consumersin ShimlaPA G E 1 6
![Page 2: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
BASIC INFORMATION
Telecom tariff / charges and rates related issues
+ The customer must be given complete details of tariff plan including charges payable for every item included in the plan within a week of activation of service.
+ While taking the new connection, you can obtain the contact details of the Call Centre, Nodal Officer and appellate authority of service provider for making your complaints.
+ No hike in any tariff item or charges is permitted during six months from the date of enrolment of the subscriber in a tariff plan.
+ In tariff plans having validity of more than six months including lifetime plans no tariff item or charges shall be increased at any time during the promised validity period.
+ 'Lifetime validity' means the duration of the current license or renewed license of the service provider.
+ The customer is free to move from one tariff plan to another, including post paid to pre paid and vice versa without paying any fee or charges for migration and without change of telephone / mobile number.
+ Even if the talk time value has been exhausted, the prepaid customers should get all the services, which do not affect “talk time value”, like incoming calls/SMS etc. during the entire validity period.
+ Unused balance in the prepaid card at the end of the validity period is to be carried forward if recharged during the grace period specified for the purpose.
+ Fixed line and broadband customers to be given rental rebate for faults not rectified within 3 days of making complaint.
+ No rental for national roaming facility. Receiving SMS is free while national roaming.
+ Processing fee, if any, in the talk time top-up recharge shall not exceed Rs.2/-.
+ Calling Line Identification Presentation (CLIP) facility cannot be made a compulsory item of tariff in any tariff plan. If chargeable, it shall be optional for customers.
Customers of Mobile & Fixed Telephone & Television
must read this for getting better services
Whom to contact in case of telephone / mobile complaints?
How to stop getting unwanted telemarketing Calls and SMSs?
Basic information about Cable TV Services in Conditional Access System (CAS) Areas
TV services under Direct to Home (DTH)
Individual consumer complaints / disputes
TRAI invites all the stakeholders to visit its website: www.trai.gov.in for full Details of the
Regulations, Tariff Orders, and Directions issued by the Authority from time to time.
(Issued in public interest by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India)
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
![Page 3: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Mr. J.S. SarmaChairmanTelecom Regulatory Authority of India, New Delhi
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 1
am happy to know that the Citizens' Awareness
Group (CAG) is publishing bi-monthly magazine I"Consumers Power". The Citizens' Awareness
Group was registered with TRAI as Consumer’s
Advocacy Group in 2007 and has acquired good
knowledge about telecommunication services,
regulations governing its provisions and redressal of
consumer grievances. It has been organizing several
seminars and workshops to generate awareness about
the rights of consumers.
Consumer Advocacy Groups play significant
role in empowering consumers, particularly in matters
connected with Telecommunications, Broadcasting and
Cable Services. I am confident that the Citizens'
Awareness Group would supplement the efforts of
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India in protecting the
interests of consumers and generating awareness
about their rights. I wish the organization great success
in its endeavors.
J. S. Sharma
EDITORIAL TEAM
Processed and Printed at :Nex-Gen GraphibizPlot No. F-191, Industrial Area, Phase 8-B, SAS Nagar, MohaliPunjab
Printed & Published by Mr. Surinder Verma, ChairmanCitizen Awareness Group.
All articles and advertising material should be forwarded to :
The Editor
CITIZENS AWARENESS GROUP Room No. 3 (Basement) Karuna Sadan, Sector-11-B Chandigarh-160011
Tel & Fax : 0172-4007412 Mobile: 094170 08805 093177 25073 E-mail : [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Websitewww.cagchandigarh.in
Mr. Surinder Verma Dr. Navleen KaurMs. Manjeet KaurMrs. Sudesh KumariMs. Richa PriyaMs. Medha Kapoor
Design & LayoutCore Communications Pvt Ltd0172 [email protected]
Volume 1 . Issue 1
![Page 4: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Mr. R.N. Prabhakar (Retd.)
MemberTelecom Regulatory
Authority of India, New Delhi
Mr. Ram NiwasHome Secretary
Chandigarh Administration
t gives me immense pleasure to know that Citizen’s Awareness Group has Istarted a bi-monthly magazine
“Consumers Power” for the consumers of this region. I appreciate the working of the group with the objective of creating awareness about various issues related to health, literacy and consumer problem from its inception. I hope that this magazine will empower the consumers of this entire region by providing them timely information about the intricacies of market.
I personally welcome the launch of the magazine here in this region, and congratulate the entire team of CAG for creating consumers.
Mr. Jagroop Singh MahalPresident
Consumer Disputes, Redressal Forum UT, Chandigarh
am happy to note that Citizen’s Awareness Group has started a bi-monthly magazine I“Consumers Power” and this issue will focus on
the consumer awareness in the telecom and broadcasting sectors.
The mission of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is to ensure that the interest of consumers are protected and at the same time to nurture conditions for growth of telecommunication, broadcasting and cable services in a manner and at a pace which will enable India to take a leading role in the emerging global information society.
The service providers should ensure quality of service and attend to consumer grievances as per the benchmarks and procedures prescribed by TRAI. This is one of the concern of the regulator. In order to this concern and to achieve its Mission, TRAI has been conducting various regional workshops for capacity building of Consumer Advocacy Groups (CAGs) and consumer education at regular intervals at different places. The sole aim of this exercise is to raise consumer awareness as end users through CAGs. TRAI have been consistently striving towards improving the response of the service providers to the consumer needs and consumer complaints. Print media has always been playing a significant role in raising consumer awareness amongst consumers and service providers by raising consumer centric issues. I am sure your magazine will also contribute towards this aspect.
I wish the Citizens Awareness Group all success in their foray to launch “Consumers Power” magazine and hope that the content of the magazine will be such that will enlighten the consumers about their rights and obligations for getting proper quality telecommunication and broadcasting services.
t gives me pleasure to say that Citizens Awareness Group Chandigarh has Istarted a bi-monthly magazine titled
"Consumers Power". As we all know, consumers are the largest social group in any society. They face a number of problems relating to the goods purchased by them and services hired on payment. It is a common knowledge that in every sphere whether it is airlines, banks, railways, insurance, courier agencies, housing, building activity, trading, investments, education, telephone/mobile, electricity, water supply, hospital etc., the consumers hire services and in many cases face, problems like the cancellation or delay, repudiation of claims, levying of' heavy charges, medical negligence or non supply or short supply of goods. The consumers are the most unorganized group and need to be educated about their rights. Many of the consumers suffer deficiencies, losses and humiliation simply because they are not aware of the remedy or they feel that the damage caused is bearable as compared to the harassment and delay which they may suffer in pursuing the remedy before the Courts. The "Consumers Power" magazine being launched by the Group is expected to take care of these problems and impart not only education to the consumers about their rights but also assist them to redress their grievances.
I wish success to the Citizens Awareness Group, is the need of the hour.
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 2
R.N. Parbhakar
Ram Niwas
Jagroop Singh Mahal
![Page 5: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Ms. K. K. NarangDeputy Director General
Bureau of Indian Standards
t gives me immense pleasure to know
that the Citizen’s Awareness Group is Ilaunching 'Consumer’s Power' a
b i -month ly journa l ded ica ted to
consumers.
The Group has been playing a vital role in
spreading awareness amongst the
masses about various consumers related
issues. Their contribution in spreading
public awareness about the rights of
consumers has significantly supplemented
the endeavor of Bureau of Indian
Standards in creating awareness about
various activities of BIS.
Kindly accept my heartiest congratulations
and best wishes for your magazine which I
am sure will go a long way in further
promoting the values concerning the
consumers.
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
Ekkud% iFkizn’Zkd%
Arun Kumar Gupta, IASGeneral Manager
Food Corporation of IndiaHaryana Region
t gives me immense pleasure to know
that Citizen’s Awareness Group has Istarred a bi-monthly magazine
“Consumers Power” about various issues
related to health, Literacy and Consumer
problems for the consumers of this region.
I convey my best wishes to the group and
wish it all success.
Food Corporation of India
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 3
Arun Kumar Gupta
Ms. K. K. Narang
am pleased to know that Citizen’s
Awareness Group (CAG), a voluntary Iorganization, has decided to publish its
bi-monthly magazine “Consumers Power”
with an objective to generate awareness
among citizens about their rights and
responsibilities and simultaneously assist
them in redressal of their grievances. I am
sure that this effort of the CAG, would go
a long way in fostering a sense of
fraternity among the citizens. I
congratulate the organizers and wish the
publication a grand success.
Nilkanth S. Avhad
Nilkanth S. Avhad, IASGeneral Manager
Food Corporation of IndiaPunjab Region
Food Corporation of India
![Page 6: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Editor SpeaksCITIZENS AWARENESS GROUP
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 4
5
9
10
14
16
19
23
Is Consumer Really the King in India?
Telecom Services
Impact of Advertisements
TRAI Basic Information
Consumer Awareness
Role of Consumer
Standards :A part of our Life
Dear Readers
I am greatly pleased to present to our natured readers- the consumers community- with this newest
magazine “Consumers Power”. In today's world, consumers wield the power…..the power to demand
the best.
In this issue, we had brought forward the rights of consumers in Telecom Industry. I am extremely
delighted on sharing Basic information on Telecom tariff and rate related issues and about the Role
of consumers.
I am heartly thankful to Mr. Bejon Mishra, Professor MC Pal, Dr. Akshat Mehta, Dr. Babita Aggarwal,
Dr. Meenu Aggarwal, Dr. Mamta Mokta and Ms. Renuka Salwan for their intresting articles.
Apart from the introduction to TRAI by Dr. Akshat Mehta, you will also come to know about the
Common Charter of Telecom Services in this issue.
I feel extremely proud in incorporating the write-up on National Seminar on Role of Cosumer
Disputes Redressal system in India: “Issues, Challenges and opportunities”. Seminar was
co-ordinated by Professor MC Paul, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New
Delhi. Seminar was organised as a mark of respect to the true spirit of “UN Guidelines for Consumer
Protection (UNGCP) issued 25 years ago in 1985.
In a past few years Telecom industry has grown at a rapid pace with an upcoming of loads of
telecom companies, which had left the consumer in a state of confusion. The choice is extremely
difficult for the consumers of telecom industry as so many big brands have stepped into, leaving the
market overloaded.
This issue is just one step forward in helping you to make the right choice and to update your
knowledge as being a consumer. We shall appreciate your feedback and suggestions to help us in
helping you. Queries are also welcomed.
Surinder Verma
24 TRAI :An Introduction
26 Child Labour in India
28 The Consumer Panchayat:
30 Consumer Awareness -
Rights & Responsibilities
Investor Association recognised by Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Consumer Advocacy Group, registered byTelecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
![Page 7: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
onsumers are
considered to be Cking in a free
market; the sellers are
guided by the will of a
consumer. Webster's
dictionary defines
Consumerism as "the
promotion of the
consumer's interests" or
alternately "the theory
that an increasing
consumption of goods is
economically desirable".
"Consumerism" is likely to
dominate the Indian
market in the coming
years, thanks to the
economic reforms in the
present years and
increased direct foreign
investment in the retail
sector. The transition will
be from a predominantly
"sellers market" to a
"buyers market" where the
choice exercised by the
consumer will be
influenced by the level of
consumer awareness
achieved. By
"consumerism" we also
mean the process of
realising the rights of the
consumer as envisaged in
the Consumer Protection
Act (1986) viz. Right to
safety, Right to be
informed, Right to choose,
Right to be heard, Right to
redress, Right to
consumer education,
Right to satisfaction of
basic needs and ensuring
right standards for the
goods and services for
which one makes a
payment. The big
multinationals will leave
no stone unturned to gain
the attraction of the
consumer and will try to
gain a respectable market
share. However, some of
the companies try to
engage in unscrupulous,
exploitative and unfair
trade practices like
defective and unsafe
products, adulteration,
false and misleading
advertisements,
hoardings, black-
marketing etc. The earlier
approach of caveat
emptor, which means
“Let the buyer beware”,
has now been changed to
caveat venditor (“Let the
seller beware”). There is
an active need for having
awareness on the
consumer protection
rights.
Evolution of Consumer
Protection Rights in
India
The consumer movement
in India is as old as trade
and commerce. In
Kautilya's Arthashastra,
there are references to the
concept of consumer
protection against
exploitation by the trade
and industry, short
weights and measures,
adulteration and
punishment for these
offences. However, there
was no organised and
systematic movement
actually safeguarding the
interests of the
consumers. Prior to
independence, the main
laws under which the
consumer interests were
considered were the
Indian Penal Code,
Agricultural Production,
Grading and Marketing
Act, 1937, Drugs and
Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Even though different
parts of India exhibited
different levels of
awareness, in general, the
level of awareness was
pretty low. Indian
consumer movement
began with Passengers
and Traffic Relief
Association (PATRA) in
Mumbai, in 1915. The
growth from there has
been incredible and the
momentum of this growth
started during the ‘60s.
In 1969, Monopolies and
Restrictive Trade
Practices MRTP act was
enacted and MRTP.
Commission was set up
under the provision of the
act. The act deals with
cases of restrictive trade
practices, adversely
affecting competition, and
with unfair trade
practices arising largely
out of false and
misleading
advertisements. After this
act, consumer
groupscame into force,
emerged. The emergence
Is Consumer Really the King in India?"Consumerism" is likely to dominate the Indian market in the coming years, thanks to the economic reforms in the present years and increased direct foreign investment in the retail sector. The transition will be from a predominantly "sellers market" to a "buyers market" where the choice exercised by the consumer will be influenced by the level of consumer awareness achieved.
C o v e r S t o r y
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 5
![Page 8: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
of the Amartya Bag, B.A.
LL.B. (1st Semester), KIIT
Law School, KIIT
University, Bhubaneswar,
Orissa. Consumer
Education and Research
Centre in Ahmedabad, in
1978, was a milestone in
the consumer movement
of India. It provided a
thrust and a direction to
the movement in terms of
a result-oriented approach
through effective use of
the law and the courts,
and injecting professional
inputs into the movement.
In the 1980s was the time
for the consumer rights
and many consumer
groups were formed in
different parts of the
country. In 1986 the
Consumer Protection Act
was enacted. In 1987, the
Indian Standards
Institute (ISI), which was
started around 1947 as a
membership society,
largely dominated by
industries, was turned
into a statutory
corporation called the
Bureau of Indian
Standards with greater
participation by consumer
organizations. Thereafter.
in 1993, the Consumer
Protection Act was
amended overcoming few
limitations and making it
more effective and
inducing the concept of
consumer courts. Three
tier consumer courts at
the nation, state and
district level known as the
District Consumer Dispute
Redressal Forum, State
Consumer Disputes
Redressal Commission,
and the National
Consumer Disputes
Redressal Commission
respectively were
established under the
provision of the act.
Consumer Welfare Fund
was also created during
that time. We have the
Securities and Exchange
Board of India, 1992, the
Telecommunication
Regulatory Authority of
India, 1997, and the
Central Electricity
Regulatory Commission,
1998. Apart from these, a
number of acts like Indian
Contract Act, Sale of
Goods Act, The Essential
Commodities Act, The
Agricultural Produce
(Grading and Marking)
Act, The Prevention of
Food Adulteration Act,
The Standards of Weights
and Measures Act have
been enacted by the
Indian legislature from
time to time to protect the
interest of the consumer.
The system has been
considered as one of the
best in the world in the
matter of consumer
protection.Consumer
Awareness and Rights – a
Ground Reality. Even with
so many milestones, the
system is not perfect and
there are still hurdles in
providing justice to the
consumer in some cases.
In spite of having a
separate ministry or
department of consumer
affairs at centre and in
every state, the reality is
that consumer loses the
battle every time and
bows before the big wigs
that own the industries
and rein the huge
consumer market in
India. The consumer is
nothing but a crownless
king; the real power lies
in the hands of big
multinationals and retail
chains. Another reason
may be the lack of
awareness amongst the
consumer about their
rights. A recent study
found that although the
people have basic
knowledge about the
Weights and Measures Act
but very few people have
knowledge about the
other laws like the Drug
and Cosmetic Act
Prevention of Food
Adulteration, Food
Product Order, The
Essential Commodity Act
Display of Price Order;
Prevention of Black
Marketing and
Maintenance of Supplies.
It was also found in the
survey that the males are
much more aware about
the consumer protection
laws than the females. It
was also found out that
the people were not aware
about organizations
working at district and
national level. Out of total
sample, 48 percent males
and 20 percent females
were aware of both
consumer courts as well
as consumer forums. Only
6 percent each of male
and female respondents
were aware about the Sub-
Divisional Magistrate
(S.D.M.) office. Very few
knew about the public
supply office. Majority of
respondents i.e. 50
percent males and 12
percent females were
aware about the National
Consumer Forum at Delhi.
2 percent males were
aware of Consumer
Guidance Society,
Hyderabad and Consumer
Forum, Bombay. None of
the female respondents
were aware about
Consumer Guidance
Society and Forum. This
survey shows how the
consumer’s in India are
unaware about their legal
rights. Indian consumer’s
want quantity not quality,
they prefer to compromise
rather than complain.
Though charging of a good
above the maximum retail
price (MRP) is against the
law, it is a very common
observance that the seller
tends to charge a good
above the
MRP. It is common that
one has been charged
above MRP for buying a
bottle of mineral water at
railway station or
multiplexes. There are
many goods which are
sold in the market
without much
information about their
quality, quantity and
purity. In case of goods
meant for mass
consumption like, food,
milk products, edible oils
etc. the ingredients are
not known.
The big multinational
companies make a huge
profit from whatever they
sell; they try to gain the
attention of an average
consumer through catchy
slogans and
advertisements with
bollywood celebrities and
cricket players as their
brand ambassador’s to
promote the goods. The
consumer lured by the
advertisement follows the
preference of their silver
screen idol’s blindly
without knowing the
ingredients of an article
and suffers. Sometimes
the sellers offers
unrealistic schemes on
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 6
![Page 9: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
anything ranging from
soap to a two-wheeler or a
computer, the consumer
is deceived by these
schemes offered by the
manufacturers, who
spend crores of rupees on
their brand ambassadors.
The poor consumer, who
is caught-up in ‘buy-one,
get one schemes’ hardly
finds time to apply his
mind that it is he who
pays everything, even for
those so-called free-gifts
and gold coins that are
used as marketing tools.
The tragic part of all this
is that at the time of
purchasing the goods, the
consumer is never shown
the clauses of warranty,
written in the microscopic
fonts, with so many
“conditions apply”
mentioned in the foot-
notes of these documents
hidden somewhere in
‘owner’s manual’. The
consumer gets this
owner’s manual only
after he makes the
payment of the product he
intends to purchase.
However, a closer look at
such ‘warranties’ makes
one to ponder upon the
fraud most of the
companies commit with a
consumer. Take an
example of a two-wheeler
or a four-wheeler
purchased from any
‘reputed’ automobile
company. The warranty
says like this: “This
warranty doesn’t apply to
proprietary parts like
tyres, tubes, battery,
plastic items, bulbs,
indicators, rubber
components, grommets,
‘O’ rings, bellows etc.”
Then what is left that
comes under warranty?
There is another fraud
attached to such goods. A
branded company uses
and assembles the tyres
and spare-parts of lesser
known companies. The
consumer hardly knows
about this arrangement,
as no such trade secrets
are revealed through the
advertisements by the
brand ambassadors. The
poor consumer, who
intends to bring home the
‘leader’ from the firm of
international fame, comes
to know about such fraud
only after the purchase of
the goods that are over
stuffed with low quality
desi spare-parts. Now
have a look at the
warranty card provided
with any electric or
electronic goods item,
including television sets,
DVDs, computers etc. The
consumer is again duped
in the similar fashion.
Here again, the hidden
warranty speaks
something like this: “In
the event of damage on
account of high or low
voltage, fluctuation in
current, lightening etc,
the warranty
automatically null and
void.” Is a consumer
responsible for the high
or the low voltage that is
supplied by the electric
department? Again, in
case of refrigerators or air
conditioners, the
companies claim that they
will not be responsible for
the “leakage in the gas”,
for which extra money is
to be paid. Further,
similar conditions prevail
in case of automobiles,
which say that there will
be no replacement on
rubber or plastic items,
notwithstanding the fact
that the ACs or fridges are
mostly made of such stuff.
If there is no warranty on
such items, then what is
the warranty all about?
Just to deceive the Indian
consumer who simply
purchase the goods
thinking that the same
can be repaired or
replaced within the
warranty period, while
remaining ignorant of the
basic difference between
‘guarantee’ and
‘warranty’. And when any
aware consumer dares to
challenge such ‘self-made
clauses’ in the court of
law in the event of any
defect in the goods within
the warranty period, he
comes across with
another problematic
clause in the warranty
that reads like this: “This
contract is effective at a
place where the company
has a manufacturing unit
(say at Mumbai) and
claims if any, shall be
made only before the
courts having the
jurisdiction in Mumbai
and no claims shall be
made outside Mumbai,
notwithstanding that the
refrigerator, two-wheeler,
TV, etc may have been
sold or delivered or any
stipulation or
commitment in respect
thereof may have been
made elsewhere.” Have
another look at the clause
in the warranty: “This
warranty is in vogue only
for a period of 12 months
from the date of
purchase.” The fact is that
AC or fans remain off for
at least six months a year
in most parts of the
country. Yet another
clause says that if a
machine has been
negligently used, then the
company is not
responsible for the
damages. Despite the
existence of consumer
forums at various levels,
many people are
compelled to go to the
courts seeking remedies.
In India sellers try to
corner and catch the
consumers on wrong foot
in the courts of law by
putting the onus of
damage on to the
consumer, declaring him
as ‘untrained’ to operate
the consumer goods,
while arguing the cases
through highly paid
advocates. And the poor
consumer, who is already
depressed on account of
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 7
InsuranceInstitutefor Education &Training
UGSE-
SCO 62-63, Top Floor, Sector 17-A, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh - 160 117Telefax : 0172 5077054, 4643054Email : [email protected]
![Page 10: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Bank: A place that will lend you money only when you don't need it.
CEO: Chief Embezzlement Officer.
CFO : Chief Fraud Officer.
-----------------
What's the difference between buying a lottery ticket and buying a penny stock? In the first case, you help finance your local community swimming pool. In the second case, you help finance the stock promoters home pool.
-----------------
A long term investment is a short term investment that failed.
-----------------
A stockbroker is someone who invests your money till it's all gone!
-----------------
A market analyst is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today!
-----------------
Momentum Investing: The fine art of buying high and selling low.
-----------------
Value Investing: The art of buying low and selling lower
Bear: What your trade account and wallet will be when you take a flyer on that hot stock tip your secretary gave you.
Bull: What your broker uses to explain why your mutual funds tanked during the last quarter.
-----------------
QUESTION: When does a person decide to become a stockbroker?
ANSWER: When he realizes he doesn't have the charisma to succeed as an undertaker.
-----------------
A stockbroker is a man who is always ready, willing, and able to lay down your money for his commission.
-----------------
The Pessimist sees the glass as half empty. The Optimist sees the glass half full. The Stock Market Day Trader JUST ADDS WHISKEY ...
Jokes for
Funhaving purchased a
defective item, thinks
twice before moving
consumer protection
forums or NGOs for the
redressal. Can he afford to
hire the services of a good
advocate to fight the case
against such
multinational companies
who have a turnover in
crores of rupees per year?
And then such forums too
show inability at times to
help the consumer, after
going through the
cunningness hidden in
every ‘term and condition’
written in the ‘owner’s
manual’. One wonders,
who has authorised such
companies to incorporate
all such conditions that
suit only them and not
the consumer. The
concerned ministry is
aware of all this deceit
and yet, the consumer is
far from being the king.
Why? For one, he is
averse to be a litigant and
prefers to suffer in
silence. For another, the
courts are so over-
burdened with cases,
majority being trivial, that
justice is invariably
delayed, if not denied. The
Consumer Courts were
created with an objective
to dispose the cases
within a very short span
of time, but the ground
reality is that the case
remains without trial for
many years, thus defying
the very objective of its
establishment. Presently,
the courts are located at
district headquarters. This
prevents consumers of
far-flung areas,
particularly in big states
like Uttar Pradesh and
Madhya Pradesh, from
approaching the courts
for justice. A more
desparate distribution of
the redressal machinery
is desirable. The
cumbersome procedure
for filing a case adds to
the burden of a consumer
in the process of getting
justice. Consumers thus
have the social
responsibility of exposing
the manufacture
suppliers or the service
providers for resorting to
illegal trade practices.
Unethical notings like
“Goods once sold will
never be taken back” are
in sharp contrast to the
practice in some of the
developed countries,
where the sellers declare;
“In case you are not fully
satisfied with our
product, you can bring
the same to us within a
month for either
replacement or return of
your money.” This is the
result of consumer
consciousness.
Consumers have to realize
their role and
importance. The
consumer movements can
be winner movements
only with our active
involvement by knowing
our rights and enforcing
them. Formation of
consumer associations in
every town would be the
first step towards this
path. It requires a
voluntary effort involving
the participation of one
and all. If the consumers
remain passive, they will
continue to be exploited.
It is necessary that
consumers take action
with solidarity to get a
fair deal and timely
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 8
redressal. An alert
consumer is a safe
consumer! There is a need
for a fresh look at the
machinery already set up
to protect consumer
interests. Establishment
of more number of mobile
consumer courts and fast
track consumer courts to
resolve minor issues
should be done to make
the judgement procedure
fast. In the coming years,
every consumer in his
own interest has to
realise his role and
importance in the right
perspective. In a
competitive economic
environment the
consumer has to exercise
his choice either in favour
of or against the goods
and services. His choice is
going to be vital and final.
He should realise his
importance and prepare
himself to exercise his
rights with responsibility.
It is very often stated
"Customer is sovereign
and consumer is the
King." If that is really so,
why do we have the
Consumer Protection Act?
Why is there a need for
protecting the King?
Should it not be rightly
called "Consumer
Sovereignty Act"? It is for
the consumers to decide.
After all the dictum in
democracy is, the citizens
get a government they
deserve. Similarly, the
consumer’s in society get
a position in the market
depending upon what
they do or do not do. It is
agreed on all hands that
"consumer empowerment"
in India has a long way to
go. This is the right time
to act.
![Page 11: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
ll Service
Providers Aacknowledge the
rights of citizen’s to have
a free choice in selecting
their Service Providers
and agree to promote their
services in the best spirit
of competition and
traditions of service to
consumer’s. All Service
Providers agree to
promote the consumers'
right to education, choice,
representation and
redress.
All service providers
assure that the privacy of
their subscribers (not
affecting the national
security) shall be
scrupulously guarded.
All Service Providers
assure that their
subscribers shall be
entitled to interact with
them, either personally or
through their authorized
representatives.
For information and
education of subscribers,
all Service Providers agree
to inform their
subscribers of the broad
range of services offered,
the individual plans
available to them at any
given point of time, the
tariff rates applicable to
each of these, their
validity, terms and
conditions, payment
policies, the billing
processe’s and
procedure’s and the
structure within the
organization where
information and
clarification on consumer
redress systems for
complaints and billing
disputes will be available
with all their relevant
contact numbers.
All Service Providers
agree to arrange human
interface with responsible
company executives
whose name and identity
are made known during
the process of disputes
resolution in addition to
arrangements like
Customer Care Service
through Call Centres.
All service providers
agree to inform their
subscribers on the reverse
of each* bill, their
consumer grievance
redress process with
respect to fault
complaints and billing
disputes. They also agree
to resolve the disputes as
per the guidelines of TRAI
issued from time to time.
All Service Providers
agree to provide an
applicant basic telephone
connection within 7 days
of registration, subject to
technical feasibility and
the mobile connection
immediately subject to
compliance of all required
formalities by the
subscriber.
All Service Providers
agree to repair the faults
within 24 hours of receipt
of complaint from a
subscriber, wherever
technically feasible.
All Service Providers
agree to ensure shifting of
telephone connection
within 3 working days
within the same
exchange, 5 working days
for intra city and 30
working days for inter
city exchanges and
closure (disconnection) of
telephone connection
within 3 days, on receipt
of a letter of request from
the subscriber. An
authenticated copy of the
last telephone bill shall
accompany the letter of
request.
All Service Providers
agree to provide in their
bills related call and tariff
details, payment
procedures and list of
points at which payments
can be made by
subscribers.
All Service Providers
agree to register
complaints in all areas of
their service immediately,
if delivered in person or
by e-mail and within 24
hours on receipt of the
complaint by post.
All service providers
shall render service
without discrimination to
every citizen as per his
eligibility defined below
and who undertakes to
pay all charges and
deposits:
“For the purpose of this
clause, a citizen shall be
defined as an individual
above the age of 18 or an
institution, NGO or
business/service
organization engaged in
any activity which is
permissible under the
laws of the land”.
Common Charter of
Telecom Services2005
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 9
Continued on Page 15
![Page 12: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
n this story there are
no heroes and Ivillains; just people
who believe they can buy
happiness, and
advertisers who support
this belief. Consumerism
is one of religion's modern
replacements and like
religion it actively
encourages, then exploits,
dissatisfaction with
everyday reality.
P. Lutus in Consumer
August - 2001
Choice is a fundamental
problem for all human
beings and it is also a
complex problem because
we are living in a kinds of
entertainment of Riches”
age. There are new
products, new kinds of
entertainment and new
services coming along
constantly. Window-
shopping, newspapers,
magazine, radio and
television, influence us
and increase our desire
more and more. Choice of
any thing is very difficult.
Because now a days
different brands of the
same product /materials
are available in the
market. How do rural
consumers decide what to
buy? Sometimes the price
for the same commodity is
different at different
places and at times one
gets inferior quality
product for higher prices.
Lack of awareness on the
part of rural consumer
and absence of rural
consumer organizations
to protect their interests
have complicated the
process of product
evaluation by the rural
consumers' aware about
their rights and the
objects available in the
market. All human beings
have been consumer in
every moment of their
life, night and day. A
rural consumer thus
participates actively in the
economy from the day he
spends his first paise for
candy, lemon, drops etc.;
his first contact with the
economy begins in a retail
store. As a rural
consumer he has an
important role to play in
the economy. The way he
performs will in turn
affect the performance of
the economy. Anyone who
consumes goods is a
consumer. Rural
consumers get exploited
in the market. They
respond to advertisement
and buy goods. Generally
advertisements do not
give all the information
that rural consumer’s
needs to know or wants to
know about a product. In
recent years behaviour of
the rural consumer’s has
changed. A few decades
ago rural consumer’s was
a silent person who
uncomplainingly
purchased the goods from
any place. But this is not
so today. Now the
consumer is the choice
empowered consumer
who decides the fate of
the product with the
rising of his earnings.
Thus, the manufactures
are continuously engaged
to understand the
complex consumer
behaviour better and
respond by offering goods
and services as desired by
them. However, in
scarcity, the buyer is
compelled to buy things
whatever is available in
the market. The key to
ensure consumer
satisfaction lies in under-
standing the consumers -
his likes and dislikes, his
expectations and
motivations, in short it
may be called as
“Consumer
Behaviour.”Consumer
Impact of
Advertisements on Rural Consumer Education and Behaviour
Dr. Meenu Aggarwal Reader & Head, Economics, Ginni Devi Modi Girls (PG) College, Modinagar
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 10
Consumerism is one of religion's modern
replacements and like religion it actively
encourages, then exploits, dissatisfaction
with everyday reality.
![Page 13: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Behaviour refers to the
acts of individuals directly
involved in obtaining and
using economic process
that precedes and
determines there acts
Consumers behaviour
research also considers
that rural consumers
make use of the goods
they buy and the
evaluation of these goods
after use.
Rural consumers make
choice under the
influence of two factors
Purpose, need or desire.
Behavioral pattern.
Purpose, need or desire.
A rural consumers will
not buy a medicine unless
someone is sick, if he is
rational. But he may buy
a cake if he is with his
friends. He may not do so
if he is alone. Event such
as festival, marriages,
birthdays, transfers etc.
may occur which gives
rise to needs for a specific
period of time.
Behavioral Pattern It is
a familiar phenomenon to
find people reacting to a
situation or environment
in different ways at
different times; Behaviour
and attitudes depend on a
number of factors such as
habit, recognition, and
price impulse, emotion
and unpredictability.
These are briefly
discussed below:
Habit
Recognition
Price
Impulse
Emotion
Unpredictability
In general, rural
consumers behaviour are
influenced by tradition
culture, religion, and
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
society of which consumer
is a part. In addition,
environment influences
and purchasing power
affects choices to a large
extent. Rural consumer’s
behaviour is also guided
by those needs, which are
as yet not satisfied.
Factors Influencing
Consumer Behaviour
Needs / Attitudes/ Habits
That influence
Consumption decisions
Consumer Choice
Behaviour/ experiences
that Reduce/ maintain or
enhance Lifestyle
resulting in Consumer
satisfaction Consumer
lifestyle
History of Consumer
Movement
An important socio-
economic movement
confronting the business
is the growth of
consumerism and the
legislative measures to
produce the consumers. It
is said that Indian
consumers are cheated to
the tune of Rs. 2000
crores annually through
the various devices
invented by the
businessmen and traders
and hence, the need for
consumer protection. The
protection that the
consumer’s required is of
the following types:
Protection against unfair
and deceptive trade
practices.
Protection from monopoly
and restrictive practices.
Protection against unsafe
or harmful products that
endanger the health and
the well being of
consumer.
Protection against all
types of pollution.
The consumer movement
in India started in the
begging of 20th century.
The first known collective
body of consumer’s in
India was set up in 1915,
with the 'Passengers and
Traffic Relief Association'
in Mumbai. It was formed
with a view to reduce the
hardships and trouble`
faced by the passengers
travelling by railways and
steamers and also to
redress the grievances of
the Indian Trading
Community.
The 'Indian Association of
Consumer (IAC)' was set
up in Delhi in 1956, and
all India Association for
consumers' interest with
government support. This
body had luminaries like
Shri Manmohan Sehgal,
Mrs. Shushila Nair and
Shri Guljarilal Nanda,
among others.
The world has witnessed
rapid growth in
consumerism and hence
consumer protection has
become an important
aspect of modern life. To
protect the consumer
various countries have
enacted consumer
protection laws. India has
also witnessed a slow
growth rule in India. The
colonial masters brought
with them mass
consumption age in India
and thus also came the
exploitation of
consumers. With the
growing of numbers of
atrocities on consumer’s
the government enacted
series of consumer's
protection laws.
Impact of
Advertisement on Rural
Consumer
Advertisements have
become an important part
of modern business and
industry. It is therefore
not surprising that we are
confronted by them
wherever we go, We see
them in newspapers and
magazines on television
and the internet, hear
them over the radio and
see them on buses, taxis
and trains.
Advertising as an
industry has been a
steadily growing industry
since the eighties. It is a
complimentary
relationship that develops
for mutual benefits.
Product and services'
promotion through
advertising requires large
and extensive canvas and
far-reaching and
penetrating means of
communication.
Advertisements are
created by sellers of goods
and services to boost the
sales of their products
and often published or
broadcast repeatedly in
the media. The idea is that
through repeated
reminders, a customer
comes to remember the
product and, hopefully,
ends up using it.
All advertising is
psychological. Their
purpose is to create a
demand, desire
impression and to expand
sales. This is to
accomplish by attracting
attention creating
perception and interest
and making the
advertisement being
understood easily, thereby
arousing and creating a
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 11
![Page 14: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
favorable image. There are
several so many impacts
that accrue to consumers
as a result of growth of
large-scale advertising.
These are as follows:
Advertising is
educational, as newer
products are known;
standard of living is
improved and thus
increased satisfaction in
daily lives.
Advertisements do benefit
consumer’s in certain
ways. For example,
consumer’s are exposed
to variety of brands for a
given product. They are
then able to compare the
choices available and
select the one that suits
them best. Businesses
also use advertisements to
introduce new products.
Consumer’s therefore
receive information on
the latest goods and
services available in the
market. As more and
more new products
become available,
businesses are forced to
produce goods of better
quality and improve the
level of their service to
keep up with the
competition. The
availability of better
quality and services
obviously benefits
consumer’s.
Advertising helps in
communication.
Advertising is the
brainchild of a
mechandise. Advertising
pays for most of our
means of communication.
It leads to communication
at lower prices, thus
permitting consumer’s, to
have more purchasing
power for other
merchandise. Advertising
pays for most of our
means of communication.
Even a newspaper cost
would be beyond the
reach of a common man.
The press and a large part
of the entertainment
industry like television,
radio and magazines are
at large supported by
advertisements.
Advertisement serves the
public. Red cross etc. have
been aided in many ways
and as such it serves
public welfare also. It
informs consumers about
where to shop. There is
not a day of the week
when consumers, are not
advised of special sales in
departmental stores,
super markets or
specialty shops. Home-
owners receive valuable
hints and proper product
selection.
Advertisement provides
useful information for
rural consumers also
about products and their
uses. It helps them to
develop better habits and
they improve better life
style.
For Example
Advertisement reminds
you to brush your teeth
two times a day, use
better shampoo for hair
falling problem.
Advertising maintains
high standards. Since a
vast majority of products
succeed in acquiring a
reputation, which leads to
good public acceptance as
a direct result of effective
advertising, the sellers
are forced to assume the
responsibility to maintain
the original specification
of the products they seek
to sell.
Advertisements awares
you about the product like
product price, availability
about the product,
sources, company name,
even ingredients of the
product.
This information helps
the rural consumer’s to
save consumer’s time and
efforts. Those people who
are illiterate the see the
advertisements and
become aware about the
product. They spend our
money in the right way.
Administration,
advertisers of drug food,
cosmetics preparations
and vitamins frequently
misrepresent their
products by label
advertising literature
containing magic words.
Advertising very often
winds even greater
victories through the line
of appeals to sub
conscious needs. Modern
advertising specialists
have learnt to successfully
control feelings of quit,
fears, loneliness, doubts
and insecurity. One might
properly classify the
advertisers as:- Vultures
who feast on the secrets,
miseries, misfortunes and
weaknesses of human
beings. They work on
man's mind and his soul”.
Know a day's
advertisement is an
important source of
income for websites, any
show of the college also so
many big and small
company sponsors the
shows, newspaper,
magazines, radio,
television etc.
Advertisement provides
direct and indirect
employment to a large
number of people creative
director, writer, junior
artist etc.
Recently, the greatest
emphasis has been on the
depth approach. Clever
advertising copy is
especially aimed to
promote purchasing
through non-rational and
impulsive logics instead of
rational and logical
approaches. The
advertising has become a
professional persuasion to
manipulate the
consumer's buying
attitude. Advertiser’s reap
rich dividend from the
knowledge, that consumer
on the whole are gullible
and that few people have
mastered the art of
reading advertising
material with a critical
eye.
For these reasons it is
indeed like looking for the
proverbial ”needle the
haystack as contact less
in a summing pool to
collect a food sampling of
straight honest
advertisement”.
Forms of Advertising
There are so many forms
of advertisements,
including so many things
in the advertisement
which are as follows :
Direct-Mail Advertising
Informational
Advertising
Institutional
Advertising
Outdoor Advertising
Product Advertising
Speciality Advertising
Media
Social network
advertising
A new form of advertising
that is growing rapidly is
social network
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 12
![Page 15: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
advertising. It is online
advertising with a focus
on social networking
sites. This is a relatively
immature market, but it
has shown a lot of
promise as advertiser’s
are able to take advantage
of the demographic
information the user has
provided to the social
networking site.
Friendertising is a more
precise advertising term
in which people are able
to direct advertisements
toward others directly
using social network
service.
Celebrities Advertising:
This type of advertising
focuses upon using
celebrity power, fame,
money, popularity to gain
recognition for their
products and promote
specific stores or
products. Advertisers
often advertise their
products, for example,
when celebrities share
their favourite products
or wear clothes by specific
brands or designers.
Celebrities are often
involved in advertising
campaigns such as
television or print adverts
to advertise specific or
general products.
Covert advertising:
Covert advertising is
when a product or brand
is embedded in
entertainment and media.
For example, in a film, the
main character can use
an item or other of a
definite brand, as in the
movie “Minority Report”
where Tom Cruise's
character John Anderton
owns a phone with the
Nokia logo clearly written
in the top corner, or his
watch engraved with the
Bulgari logo.
Consumer Education
Government and private
agencies in India offer
rural consumers
education programmer
and widely disseminated
consumer information
system. Some of the
reputed private
companies involve
themselves with rural
consumer’s education
giving high emphasis to
the motto “educated
consumers make better
consumers” along with
their selling portfolio.
Even after, consumer
education in India is still
practically not so widely
spread, the Union
Government has been
making efforts to educate
the rural consumers. The
right to consumer
education means the right
to acquire the knowledge
and skills to be an
informed consumer. Thus,
the right to consumer
education envisages the
right to knowledge and
skills needed for taking
actions to influence
factors, which affect
consumers' decisions.
According to the
guidelines, the
governments should
develop and encourage
the development of
general consumer
education programmes,
bearing in mind the
cultural traditions of the
people concerned. The
aim of such programmes
should be to enable people
to act as discriminating
rural consumers, capable
of making informed
choice of goods and
services, and conscious of
their rights and
responsibilities. In
developing such
programmes special
attention should be given
to the needs of
disadvantaged consumers.
The important points of
Consumer Education are
as follow :
1.Introducing rural
consumer education in
the basic curricula of
the education system;
2.Governments to develop
consumer education
programmes in mass
media aimed at rural
and illiterate
consumers.
3.Education programmes
particularly for the
benefit of low-income
consumers in rural and
urban areas;
4.Business to
undertake/participate in
factual and relevant
consumer education
programmes; and
Governments to organize
training programmes
for education, mass
media professionals etc.
In the modern era it is
mandatory to protect the
rural consumers rights
and empowering them by
education. They should
not take the decision
always on the basis of
advertisement. The cost of
making advertisement is
usually very high.
Businesses have to spend
large sums of money to
get consumer’s to notice
and recognize their
product. Part of this
money goes to the
production of the
advertisement, packaging
of the product and buying
of advertisement space in
newspapers and
magazines, on billboards,
television and the radio.
The cost of advertising is
partly borne by
consumers, who end up
paying more for a product
than they would
otherwise have to.
Advertisement can be
misleading. To boost sales,
they are made to appeal to
the purchaser's vanity-this
expensive face cream will
make you look beautiful;
that vitamin supplement
will help you stay young;
these pills will make you
slim without the need for
exercise. Such claims are
often exaggerated but
believe by many.
Advertisement was once
upon a time the tool for
creating awareness about
their product among the
people. But now-a-days it
creates problem among
the people and putting
problematic burden on
the families.
Awareness has to be
created among the rural
consumers about the good
quality of products and
services. Largest number
of consumers live in the
rural areas in India. So
protecting the rural
consumer has to be a
priority.
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 13
The governments should develop and
encourage the development of general
consumer education programmes.
![Page 16: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Basic Information on Telecom tariff/charges and rates related issues from Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indiathat specifies your rights.
he customer must
be given complete Tdetails of tariff plan
including charges payable
for every item included in
the plan within a week of
activation of service.
While taking the new
connection, you can
obtain the contact details
of the Call Centre, Nodal
Officer and appellate
authority of service
provider for making your
complaints.
No hike in any tariff item
or charges is permitted
during six months from
the date of enrolment of
the subscriber in a tariff
plan.
In tariff plans having
validity of more than six
months including lifetime
plans no tariff item or
charges shall be increased
at any time during the
promised validity period.
'Lifetime validity' means
the duration of the
current license or
renewed license of the
service provider.
The customer is free to
move from one tariff plan
to another, including post
paid to pre paid and vice
versa without paying any
fee or charges for
migration and without
change of telephone /
mobile number.
Even if the talk time value
has been exhausted, the
prepaid customers should
get all the services, which
do not affect “talk time
value”, like incoming
calls/SMS etc. during the
entire validity period.
Unused balance in the
prepaid card at the end of
the validity period is to be
carried forward if
recharged during the
grace period specified for
the purpose.
Fixed line and broadband
customers to be given
rental rebate for faults not
rectified within 3 days of
making complaint.
No rental for national
roaming facility. Receiving
SMS is free while national
roaming.
Processing fee, if any, in
the talk time top up
recharge shall not exceed
Rs.2/-.
Calling Line Identification
Presentation (CLIP)
facility cannot be made a
compulsory item of tariff
in any tariff plan. If
chargeable, it shall be
optional for customers.
Customer consent a
must for providing
Chargeable Value Added
Services
No chargeable value added
service like ring tone,
caller tune, missed call
alert, music / songs etc.
shall be provided to a
customer without his/her
explicit consent.
All communications/
advertisements relating to
premium rate services e.g.
ring tones, wallpaper,
astrology, quiz etc. should
have the pulse
rate/charges for the
service.
Whom to contact in case
of telephone / mobile
complaints?
All service requests/
complaints are to be made
to the Call Center. The
Call Center shall register
the complaint / request
and provide docket
number to the
complainant.
In case the customer is
not satisfied with the
redressal of his complaint
at the Call Center level, he
may approach the Nodal
Officer and then the
appellate authority. For
contact details of Call
Centre, Nodal Officer and
appellate authority, you
may visit the Website of
your service provider.
Complaints pertaining to
service disruption / faults
are to be attended within
a maximum period of 3
days and billing
complaints within 4
weeks by telecom service
provider. In the event of a
request for termination,
the services shall be
terminated by telecom
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 14
Your Rights as a
Telecom Consumer
Do you know?
Fixed line and broadband customers to be
given rental rebate for faults not rectified
within 3 days of making complaint.
![Page 17: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
service provider within a
maximum period of 7
days and bills to be raised
after adjustment of
security deposit.
How to stop getting
unwanted
telemarketing Calls and
SMSs?
A customer who does not
wish to receive unwanted
commercial calls or SMSs
can register his telephone
number in the National
Do Not Call (NDNC)
Registry by dialing '1909'
or sending SMS by typing
“START DND” and send it
to 1909.
In case the customer
receives unsolicited
call/SMS even after 45
days of registration in the
NDNC registry, complaint
can be lodged with the
service provider within 15
days of receipt of such
unsolicited commercial
communication.
Basic information
about Cable TV Services
in Conditional Access
System (CAS) Areas
CAS is only available in
Chennai and parts of
Delhi, Mumbai and
Kolkata.
All customers in CAS area
will get 30 Free to Air
channels without Set Top
Box (STB) by paying
Rs.82/- (excluding taxes)
per month.
CAS allows consumers
choice of selecting
individual pay channel.
No compulsion to take
bundle of channels or
bouquets.
Pay channels will be
available at the rate of
Rs.5.35 per channel per
month (excluding taxes).
STB only required for
getting pay channels.
STB to be made available
for a deposit of Rs.200/-
with a monthly rental of
Rs.34/- or deposit of
Rs.750/- with a monthly
rental of Rs.22/- to the
new customers.
Your Multi System
Operator (MSO) is
required to maintain
Customer Service Center
for receiving your
complaints.
All complaints made will
be registered and given a
docket number.
Monthly bills with details
to be given to the
customer by the cable
operator compulsorily.
TV services under
Direct to Home (DTH)
The DTH operator has to
make schemes and offer
Set Top Box (STB) on
rental, hire-purchase
basis and outright
purchase basis. The
customer has the freedom
to choose from schemes
being so offered.
In case of termination of
connection, the service
provider has to give a
notice to the customers.
A subscription package
offered to a customer
cannot be changed to the
disadvantage of the
customer for 6 months
from the date of
subscription.
STB not to be disabled
in case there are no
dues.
In case of any complaint
or problem with the
services, the customer
may contact the Call
Centers on toll free
numbers of the service
provider.
Individual Consumer
Complaints / Disputes
Individual consumer
complaints / disputes
which are maintainable
before Consumer Forum
are not handled by TRAI.
Customer has to seek
redressal of the grievance
with the service provider
as per the regulations or
can seek remedy in the
Consumer Forum
Complaints alleging
violation of the
Authority's direction/
orders/regulations are
handled in TRAI.
TRAI invites all the
stakeholders to visit its
website: www.trai.gov.in
for full details of the
Regulations, Tariff
Orders, and Directions
issued by the Authority
from time to time.
(Issued in public interest by
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 15
Common Charter of
Telecom Services 2005
Continued from Page 9
All service providers agree to provide information on
Directory Services and book complaints on toll free
number for registering complaints.
All service providers agree to provide their subscribers
satisfactory connectivity to their services and
interconnectivity to the extent of their respective legal
obligation under the relevant interconnection agreement
and to ensure that subscribers do not suffer on account of
poor service.
All service providers agree to allow emergency services
like police, fire and ambulance for a period of 15 days
during which incoming facility is allowed, if technically
feasible, even after the telephone connection is
suspended.
All Service Providers agree to achieve the minimum
benchmarks prescribed by TRAI with respect to the
quality of service and also commit themselves to improve
upon the standards of service at different points of time.
Mutual courtesy and respect are the hallmarks of any
durable relationship between the Service Providers and
subscribers and both agree to abide by these principles.
Though this charter is non-justiceable, service
providers agree to strive to adhere all the points
contained in this charter and to make every effort to abide
by the charter.
Clause 7 amended as agreed in the meeting of the CAGs
and service providers held on 24th January 2006 so as to
inform the subscribers through “each bill” instead of
informing “periodically”.
![Page 18: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 16
State of
Consumer Awareness in Shimla City
“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is a part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so.” Mahatma Gandhi
he world is a global
village and the Tconsumer is king,
yet he is striving to create
a niche for himself. The
growing interdependence
of the world economy and
international character of
many business practices
have contributed to the
development of consumer
protection (Gambhir
,2007) Citizens have
always been exploited by
agencies and institutions,
both in private and public
sectors, as they are not
orgnanised formally to
take remedial action.
Such complaints are more
in public utility services
like electricity, water, gas,
railways, and transport.
(Goel 2004)
The term consumer has
been defined as any
person who seeks or
acquires goods for
personal, family or
household purpose.
Moreover, the goods must
be acquired for final
consumption and not for
the purpose of
manufacture or resale
(Agarwal, 1989) Every
individual irrespective of
his age, sex, religion,
status is a consumer and
thus they are required to
exercise proper check and
caution while making
purchase of item (Sharma
2005).A Consumer is
anyone who buys or
agrees to buy any goods
for a consideration which
has been paid or promised
or partly paid and partly
promised or under any
system of deferred
payment.
Consumer also includes
any user of such goods
other than the person
who actually buys goods
and such use is made with
the approval of the
purchaser. However a
person is not a consumer
if he purchases goods for
commercial or resale
purpose (Rakesh
2000).The process of
development coupled with
increasing liberalization
and globalization across
the country has enabled
consumers to realize their
increasingly important
role in society and
governance( Aggarwal
2006).
Consumerism under
Himachal Pradesh
Consumer Protection
Rules 1988 Himachal
Pradesh State Consumer
Disputes Redressal
commission, District
Consumer Dispute
Redressal Forum were
established in 1989.
According to provisions of
these rules Himachal
Pradesh has established
four District Consumer
Disputes Redressal
Forums at Shimla, Mandi,
Kangra and Una. The
district forum Shimla has
its jurisdiction over four
Districts of Shimla,
Solan, Sirmour & Kinnaur
District. While Mandi
district forum has its
jurisdiction extended over
Districts Mandi, Kullu
and Lahual Spiti. District
forum Kangra's
jurisdiction extends over
Kangra Chamba & District
Forum Una's jurisdiction
extends over District Una,
Hamirpur and Bilaspur.
The District Consumer
Dispute Redressal Forum
has jurisdiction to
entertain the claim,
where the value of the
goods and services and
compensation claimed
does not exceed Rs.20 lacs
the state consumer
dispute redressal
commission has
jurisdiction to entertain
the claims where the
value of goods and
services and
Dr. Mamta MoktaChairperson, Department of Public Administration,Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.
![Page 19: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
compensation exceeds
Rs.20 lacs but does not
exceed Rs.1 Crore. The
complaint can be filed
within a period of 2 years
from the date, cause of
action arose within the
local limits of forum/
commission and the fee
for making complaint is
Rs.100/- for total value of
goods or services and
compensation claimed
upto Rs. One lac, Rs. 200/-
above compensation of Rs.
Two lacs to Rs. Five lacs,
Rs.400/- is the fee- above
Rs. Five lacs to Rs. Ten
lacs compensation , Rs.
500 is the fee above Rs.
Ten lacs to Rs. Twenty
lacs. Fees of Rs. 2000/is
levied above compensation
of Rs. Twenty lacs to Rs.
Fifty lacs. Rs. 4000 is fees
above Rs. Fifty lacs and
upto Rs. One crore and
Rs. 5000/is the fee charges
above Rs. One crore to be
paid in the form of
Crossed Demand Draft or
Crossed Indian Postal
order. (Administrative
Report, 2006-07)
Extent of consumer
awareness Data Analysis
and Findings
The awakening among
consumer of their rights
and duties, social and
legal obligation of the
business or government
toward the consumer is
called consumer
awareness. It was found
during a study conducted
in Shimla city in 2009,
that majority of
consumer’s, that is
70.90% were aware of the
malpractices and 29.06 %
were not aware of them.
Only 45. 45 % had made
complain about it to the
concerned authorities.
Consumers give different
reasons for not
complaining. Majority of
respondents, that is
42.85% believed that
problem is not so serious
as to make a complaint. It
was observed that
consumers in Himachal
Pradesh do not have the
initiative to complain to
the authorities concerned
despite of the fact that
they know malpractices
are going on. 50.90%
consumers respondents
very often take cash-
receipt after purchasing
the goods. Thus majority
of consumer in Himachal
Pradesh had not fully
comprehended the
importance of cash-
receipt. Without it,
consumers, can not
exercise their rights, as a
consumer and seek
redressal before the
consumer court. Majority
of the educated
respondents have no
knowledge about
Consumers Protection
Laws and 70.90%
consumers respondents
had no knowledge of
Consumers Rights,It was
observed, that majority of
respondents i.e. 81.81%
were unaware about
World Consumer Rights
Day 15th March. With
regard to the most
significant Act, Consumer
Protection Act 1986 only
48.18% were aware of the
existence of State
Commission and 57.27%
were aware about District
Forum. But only 20% had
made complaint before
District Forum and
respondents had lodged
complaint before State
Consumer Commission.
Awareness level of
redressal procedure was
46.36 %. Those 23.07%
respondents, which were
not satisfied with the
response of redressal
machinery, have given
reason that the procedure
is very complex. Thus it
can be concluded that
much more is required to
be done in the direction of
consumerism to make
consumers aware about
their rights.
Suggestions To Strengthen
The State Of Consumerism
In Himachal Pradesh
The consumers should
always try to purchase
standard goods of quality.
Some quality marks have
been patented by the
government such as ISI,
WOOL mark, AGG mark,
FPO, these marks ensure
the quality and minimize
the complaints.
If the goods being
purchased are subject to
guarantee or warranty,
the consumer must insist
the trader to give him
signed guarantee/
warranty card.
The consumers must
ensure the date of
manufacturing expiry
date, maximum retail
prices indicated on the
packaged commodities.
Remember MRP is not a
government fixed price
and the consumer can
bargain. He must always
know that no one can sell
more than MRP.
AGG mark for
agriculture products, ISI
mark for electrical
appliances, BIS Hallmark
for gold should always be
checked at the time of
purchase.
Consumers should
habituate themselves to
check the malpractices in
the market rather than
remain passive. They
should not hesitate to
question shopkeepers,
whenever they notice
irregularities in their
dealings, and if needed be,
report to the appropriate
authorities. The quality
testing laboratories
should be set-up in as
many places in Himachal
Pradesh as possible so
that consumers have easy
and free access to them.
Consumers must be
made to inculcate in
themselves the habit of
buying goods only after
verifying the quality,
purity, price, weight,
packing, manufacturing
date, expiry date etc.
Consumers in Himachal
Pradesh should prefer to
take cash receipt and
should always insist on it,
because this small piece of
paper is very important.
Without it consumers will
not be able to exercise
their right as a consumer
and seek redressal before
the consumer court.
As consumer education
is very important factor
which influences
consumers to act wisely
in the market, it should
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 17
![Page 20: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
be included in the syllabi
in a phased manner from
the high school level
onwards.
In order to involve
more and more youth for
the strengthening of
consumer movement in
Himachal Pradesh, it is
suggested here that
Consumer Clubs should
be opened in all the
schools of Himachal
Pradesh and efforts
should also be sincerely
made to open theses clubs
at colleges and university
level.
To strengthen the state
of consumerism in
Himachal Pradesh some
Consumer Service Guiding
Centers should be set-up
by all government
departments as well as
business houses to
maintain a close liaison
with consumers.
In Himachal Pradesh,
more people should be
involved in consumer
activities they should be
motivated to unite
themselves in consumer
organisations.
It is necessary that the
literature on the various
acts especially Consumer
Protection Act 1986,
should be supplied to the
consumers freely in
order to widen their scope
of understanding.
Consumers should be
motivated towards the
realization of consumer's
rights in the market
environment. For this,
the government which
has at its disposal all the
required resources should
take the initiative and
motivate the consumers
through the mass media.
CONCLUSION
We still have miles to
move in the direction of
consumer protection in
Himachal Pradesh. But
even longest journey
starts with small steps so
hope for better prospects
of consumerism are
expected in Himachal
Pradesh in the near
future.
FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY AND INVESTMENT PROBLEMS WITH REGARD TO
PUBLIC ISSUES (INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING)
CAPITAL MARKET (EQUITY)
MUTUAL FUNDS
INSURANCE POLICIES
BANKING SCHEMES
DEPOSITORY ACCOUNTS
AND ANY OTHER MAJOR / MINOR DIFFICULTIES
FACED BY THE INVESTORS.
CITIZEN’S AWARENESS GROUPInvestors Association recognized by Securities Exchange Board of IndiaRoom No: 3 (Basement), Karuna SadanChandigarh-160011
Contact your sincere and friendly financial partner.
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 18
SUBSCRIBE toCONSUMERS POWERStand Price : Rs.2512 Issues : Rs.250
Send your cheque/demand draft drawn infavour of “Citizen’s Awareness Group” payableat Chandigarh
![Page 21: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
ational seminar
on “Role of NConsumer
Disputes Redressal System
in India : Issues,
Challenges and
Opportunities” on
12-13th March 2010 by
Professor M.C. Paul, GAE,
School of Social Sciences
of JNU, New Delhi in co-
operation with Professor
Bupinder Zutshi, CSRD.
We are happy to note here
that the Hon'ble Minister,
Prof. K.V. Thomas, MOS,
Consumer Affairs,
consented to be the Chief
Guest Since the topic of
the seminar was very
close to his heart but
could not do so. As he
said, “nevertheless, in
view of some unavoidable,
unforeseen, urgent and
important Parliamentary
commitment I was unable
to avail the opportunity”.
All the participants were
thankful to the Hon'ble
Minister for his “best
wishes and compliments
for the successful conduct
of the seminar”.
About 93 participants
A Report on
Role of Consumer Disputes Redressal System in India Issues, Challenges and Opportunities Professor M.C. Paul, GAE, School of Social Sciences, Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi
attended the National
seminar for two days from
all over the country
belonging to faculty and
students from IIPA,
Universities like
Pondicherry, Delhi
University, JNU
University, Government of
India, Judiciary, Senior
Advocates, NGOs/ VCOs,
Mass Media. They were
Justice J.D. Kapoor,
former President of Delhi
state Consumer
Commission, Hon'ble
Justice R.K. Batta,
Member NCDRC, Shri
Anupam Dasgupta,
Hon'ble Member, NCDRC,
Mrs. Rajyalaxmi Rao,
former member of
NCDRC, Dr. P.K. Agrawal,
former Principal
Secretary, Department
Consumer Affairs,
Government of West
Bengal, Sri Debasis
Bagchi, former Inspector
General of Police, Dr.
Prem Lata, Member West
District Fora, Mr. P.A.
Krishnamoorthy (GTZ),
Patrick Von Braunmuhl,
GTZ (Germany), Dr. Satya
Sharma (Malaysia), Prof.
Pranab Banerjee, Prof.
Sheetal Kapoor, Prof. P.
Moorthy, Prof. Meenu
Agrawal, Advocate Rajeev
Saxena, Advocate Apurva
A. Dave, Prof. Savita
Hanspal, Dr. S.K.Kejriwal,
Dr. Ajay Kumar, Dr. O.P.
Samy, Mr. Hitoshi Ota
(Japan) Brig. Manaktala,
Capt. Dasgupta, Col.
Angad Singh, Col. Dua,
Mr. Pankaj Singh,
Advocate Biraja
Mahapatra, Advocate
Atulesh Kumar, Prof. Hari
Dev Goyal, Prof. M.C. Paul
et al including many
students and faculty
members and concerned
Aam Consumers.
Welcoming the
participants Prof. M.C.
Paul, the Co-ordinator of
the National Seminar, has
underlined the fact that
this seminar is organized
as a mark of respect to the
true spirit of “UN
Guidelines for Consumer
Protection (UNGCP)”
issued 25 years ago in
1985. It was nonetheless
a bold step that made
some of the world leaders
to take initiative as
regards to the enactment
of special Act to protect
consumer rights from the
free market activities. So
this year is the Silver
Jubilee year for issuance
of the UN Guidelines and
it is certainly an
auspicious year for all of
us gathered here to
deliberate on the issues
and challenges of
consumer rights
protection. In fact this
National seminar is a
humble attempt to pay a
tribute to that spirit of the
UN Guidelines. It is
equally true that based on
the UN guidelines, the
Government of India had
taken the right initiative
in the Parliament and
enacted a landmark Act
called The Consumer
Rights Protection Act of
1986. The basic purpose
of this welfare Act is to
exclusively protect the
consumers from the
various types of market
exploitation.
He also expressed his
extreme happiness that he
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 19
![Page 22: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
has received
overwhelming response
from all the participants
gathered in this seminar
which indicates nothing
except the fact that the
consumer rights issues
are very close to every
one's heart, particularly in
this global era when
marketers of all kinds of
products and services are
on the prowl alluring the
gullible consumers in
different ways, often
without much respect for
the consumer rights.
Frankly speaking, he
pointed out that the
market exploitation is
rampant and the
unsuspecting consumers
often fall trapped in the
fine lines of deals offered
by the marketers. This is
particularly true for the
people belonging to lower
socioeconomic strata of
our multi-lingual and
multi-cultural society who
are not even aware of
consumer rights given in
the Consumer Protection
Act, and how to protect
them. Even among the
educated sections the
awareness level is not
high. This is pathetic
when several dubious
marketers do not have
much regard for
consumer rights unlike in
the developed countries.
Secondly, when the
informed-consumers
approach consumer fora
for redressal of disputes
as a last resort as per the
Consumer Protection Act,
they expect delivery of
quick justice on merit
because it is a critical
component of consumer
rights protection. But the
frustrating experiences
the consumers undergo in
the Fora do not augur
well; this is in spite of
many success stories in
its credit. This is probably
due to several inherent
weaknesses. For example,
in the absence of adequate
knowledge and skills of
consumer jurisprudence,
many administrators of
justice inappropriately
dispense justice and
thereby undermine the
spirit of CP Act. If this is
the story then something
must be wrong
somewhere and that's why
the 3-tier Fora is not
always in a position to
serve its role effectively.
The consumer fora has
tremendous
responsibilities to uphold
the spirit of the Act. It
becomes more frustrating
when the consumer
victims approach the
justice delivery system
with good spirit but fail to
get appropriate justice. It
is in this scenario that
they suffer the double
victimization syndrome:
once in the market and,
second in the hands of the
fora. I strongly feel that
consumer complainants
have every right to get
proper justice since they
are also consumers of
justice. When cases of
consumer disputes are
delayed and/or are not
adjudicated properly on
merit, it unfortunately
makes them hesitant to
approach the fora. This is
not that some good things
are not happening, but
some good things have
also gone wrong at many
places. We know that the
3-tier Consumer Disputes
Redressal system is
supposed to take pro-
consumer approach and
adjudicate the matter on
merit.
This seminar was
organized to understand
the various issues,
challenges and
opportunities of
Consumer Disputes
Redressal system in
India; and how best we
can find answers to some
of these vexing questions
so that the agonies of the
consumer victims are
minimized, if not
eradicated. Prof. Paul said
frankly that there are
many questions that need
collective thinking and
wisdom to find answers
as well as solutions to
many such problems and
challenges the consumers
face day-in and day-out in
market situations where
the growing market
violations are
encountered. He also felt
that many diverse issues
and challenges demand
fresh thinking and
flexible approach, and for
this there is a need for
sincere debate and
serious discussion by the
participants.
He also reminded that
since 1991, with the
market liberalization
policy of the government,
thousands of profit-
hungry marketers
including the dubious/
unscrupulous ones have
been entering the market
arena who hardly care
even to recognize, forget
about respecting the
upobhokta adhikar (the
consumer rights).
Therefore, under this
circumstance, whether
consumer is the 'King' or
a Slave of the market is a
BIG question. The
unsuspecting and gullible
consumers and
particularly, those
belonging to under-
privileged and poorest
sections of our society
with low purchasing
power are the worst
victims of unbridled
market injustice and
exploitation. It seems our
'consumer rights are
under siege'.
The scenario gets uglier
and pathetic when
millions of our diverse
consumers of our
multilingual and
multicultural nation are
not even aware of
Upobhokta Adhikar
rightfully given by an Act
of Parliament. The 'jago
grahak jago' slogan
incurring billions could
hardly empower the
consumers to save them
from the continuous
market injustice and
exploitation. I believe we
also need to forcefully
make the 'Vyaparis also
Jago' with a slogan like:
'Jago Vyapari Jago' to
respect consumers' rights.
Otherwise the business
people will have the last
laugh and go on doing
'business' as it is!! We
also know millions of
educated sections are not
aware of their rights; how
to protect; and where to
go for redressal when
their rights are violated in
the market. Of course, for
many people, ignorance
becomes bliss. Some may
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 20
![Page 23: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
perceive it as a sheer fate
when they get cheated, or
a part of karmaphal (to
pay a price for past
misdeed). It is this
perception that empowers
the business class to pro-
actively violate the law of
the land. I don't have any
panacea but I am sure in
one thing that with our
collective will and
wisdom, we may at least
come out with certain
remedies to protect our
rights as consumers
against the dubious but
powerful marketers. We
require a new mindset
and an out-of-box
thinking and whenever
necessary involving the
civil society in a big way
to check the menace of
market injustice. We need
to walk together as
partners to change the
present, to move to the
future and reach out to
the people who need it. I
believe the challenges of
consumer rights
violations can be
addressed only when we
try to think differently
together and voice our
concerns to the
authorities with
constructive suggestions
to appropriately amend
the CPA, if required. Along
with policies we also
require honest efforts to
implement these. Of
course it is not a one way
road. In other words,
policy reform alone
cannot be the only
solution unless it is seen
to work on the ground.
Thereafter, the Keynote
Address was delivered by
Justice J.D. Kapoor,
Former President, Delhi
State Consumer
Commission. Justice
Kapoor has been in the
forefront of consumer
rights protection;
championing the cause of
consumers, has delivered
very enlightening and
engrossing speech
covering many issues and
challenges faced by the
Consumer Disputes
Redressal system in India
with the help of his
practical judical
experience over the years
while solving umpteen
number of cases,
including the complex
ones, and delivering with
a zeal pro-consumer
judgments by rightly
interpreting the C.P. Act of
1986 to not only
protected consumer rights
but also strengthened
them.
He began his address with
the statement that “An
enlightened Person is the
empowered person”. He
said India was first and
foremost countries to
enact such a
comprehensive Act called
the Consumer Protection
Act, 1986. He underlined
that it was a good
endeavour to provide full
protection to the
consumers. But he was
not satisfied with the way
consumer courts are
functioning. Judicial
process is getting complex
leading to harassment and
suffering; the consumer
victims don't feel
encouraged to go to the
court. Thousand and
thousands of cases are
pending for the last 15
years and because of this
consumers are
increasingly losing faith
in quasi-judicial
mechanism. He was also
not happy with the way
laws are being
interpreted. He said
before giving any
judgment, each and every
section of the law should
be considered with
elaborated meaning to
effectively use for
delivering judgment and
thereby protect consumer
rights. And every kind of
injuries such as physical,
mental, psychological etc.
faced by the consumer
should be accounted and
compensated.
Prof. B.B. Bhattacharya,
Vice-Chancellor of JNU,
in his address as
chairperson congratulated
Prof. Paul and expressed
happiness for holding the
seminar at a crucial
juncture of India's neo-
liberal agenda-based
business activities. He
showed his concern for
the difficulties of the
consumers face in the
market places. He
highlighted how
unscrupulous traders day-
in and day-out indulging
in malpractices causing
tremendous harm to aam
consumers. He also
expressed his
unhappiness on the
misleading advertisement
of 'Jago Grahak Jago'
which is not cutting much
ice. He also stated from
several of his studies done
as an expert in several
committees as well as his
experience show that how
the benefit/relief in terms
of Sales tax/Excise tax
relief supposed to be
percolated down to the
end users extended by the
government in the
budgets for the consumers
are often disregarded by
the businessmen or the
producers. All the tax
benefits are rather taken
away by the business
people. He cited some
such examples of life with
pain how the companies
amass huge wealth at the
cost of consumers in
India. Indian market
economy is becoming
more exploitative; no
doubt under globalization
they offer wider choices
but do not always ensure
what they propagate; and
they show reluctance to
protect consumer rights.
He was also unhappy with
the way the advertisement
strategies are increasingly
adopted which is actually
misleading the consumers
due to which many
vulnerable consumers fall
into their trap; and they
throw many challenges to
consumers in the market
to protect their rights. It
is here the role of
consumer fora finds its
centrality and is vital. But
unfortunately the quasi-
judicial bodies like
consumer fora are not in
a position to expeditiously
reduce the sufferings of
consumers due to certain
inherent weaknesses; and
challenges of piling up of
cases with the rising
awareness level of the
consumers. One of the
challenges is delay in
disposing of cases. It is a
major challenge. Opening
Mediation Cell with the
help of qualified
mediators can definitely
be a way-out under the
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 21
![Page 24: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
present circumstances to
help the aam consumers.
We need to take this issue
up for further
deliberations and
discourse.
Nevertheless, he strongly
felt that the consumer
rights education and
awareness movements is
the need of the hour Prof.
Bhattacharya suggested
that there is a great role
of NGOs, academicians,
and civil society to
generate awareness and
knowledge by organizing
awareness drive,
undertaking
interdisciplinary studies,
by initiating academic
course, organize seminars
like this respectively so as
to make the society and
the people aware about
the violations of
consumer rights and how
to safeguard them.
Last but not the least, the
Vote of Thanks was
extended by Dr. B. Zutshi.
Thereafter the Technical
sessions took off and were
conducted by experts,
academicians several legal
experts including the
Judicial officers from
NCDRC who conducted
Panel discussion on 13th
March for the benefit of
participants who had
several questions to field
to get answers from each
one of them.
In fact, the seminar
participants have
discussed and debated
host of issues related to
consumer rights
protection in India and
the role of Consumer
Disputes Redressal
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 22
system. How the world's
best Consumer Disputes
Redressal system in our
country is gradually
becoming ineffective/
dysfunctional; and
thereby losing aam
consumers' confidence.
All these lively
discussions and
discourses in a friendly
atmosphere made them
come out with some
pragmatic
recommendations for the
government as well as for
the quasi-judicial bodies
like Consumer fora, state
commission, NCDRC,
Central and State
governments, if necessary,
by amending the unique
Consumer Protection Act,
1986, to attain its very
object keeping its spirit
intact.
Col. MGS Khurana
Col. MGS KhuranaCertified Investment & Insurance Consultant
# 1574, Sector 34-D, Chandigarh
P : 0172 2604305 | M : 98553 31101Contact :
Post Office
Monthly Income
Senior Citizens
Mutual Funds
UTI & SBI
Templeton & HDFC
Sundaram BNP
ICICI Prudential
PPF & Tax Saving
LIC of India
House Hold
Medical
Overseas
Shops
Accident
Fire
Burglary
The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd.
TATA AIG General Insurance Company Ltd.
Apollo DKV Insurance Company Ltd.
Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Ltd.
With best Compliments
INVESTMENTThe
INVESTMENTINSURANCE
INSURANCE
Wishing all members of Citizens Awareness Group success in achieving objectives
From. Smt. & Wg.Cdr. D. N. Misra, on the eve of their
th50 Marriage Anniversary
![Page 25: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 23
Standards
veryone of us follow
some standards in Eour day-to-day life
like office going, adhering
to traffic signals etc. , the
consequences are obvious,
if we violate them. In fact
standardization touches
every aspect of our life be it
our daily life, our work
places, our movement or
any other activity. It is the
foundation stone on which
our society is built.
Standardization is a
universal phenomenon and
you observe it in nature all
the time. You see the
orderly movement of
planets, starts chance of
seasons, seasonal growth
of plants. The structure of
flora, fauna and human
being is standardized.
Coming to the benefit of
standards, imagine the
ordeal in selecting a book
of your choice in case of
urgency from a library
which does not follow a
standard practice, imagine
the plight of a patient and
doctors using non-
standards thermometers,
B.P. apparatus or cardio-
graphs.
A driver anywhere in the
world immediately
recognizes the meaning of
various dashboard symbols
when buying a new car. We
as consumers take
standardization for
granted. Its absence
however can send us into a
fit of fury. Who, for
instance, has not been
irritated by the seeming
lack of standardization of
clothes sizes or frustrated
when the light bulb we
brought for our lamp does
not fit or the safety razor
blade does not fit into the
safety.
If safety, compatibility,
reliability and quality are
clearly crucial factors for
consumers, value for
money is another gain, the
consumers make from
standards. In today's time
of open economy, world
wide standards create the
condition for open trade
which put manufacturers
and the consumers in a
win-win situation. For the
manufacturers, the cost of
seeking to satisfy different
national market needs is
reduced and the customers
benefits from competition
among suppliers vying to
meet his needs.
A standardized product
is a sure passport to
customer satisfaction. A
standard product assures
that it has been produced
to comply with the
requirement of relevant
standards protection from
exploitation and deception.
The BIS is making
concerted efforts to train
and educate various office-
bearers of consumer
associations about BIS
activities. Awareness
program are being
organized through its
regional and branch
offices. Efforts are also
being made to spread
awareness about
standardization and the
BIS role among school
children so as to bring
about an understanding
about the role of
standardization during
during their formative
years.
The BIS has all India
network. Its consumer's
affairs department is there
to help consumers, in case
they come across any BIS
certified product which
they deem to be
substandard. The use of
standard mark or its
imitation is an offence
under the BIS act,
punishable with
imprisonment extending
up to on year and a fine of
up to Rs. 50,000/-.
The BIS also has the
power to search and seize,
in case reasonable doubt
exists, about any misuse of
the standard mark.
Consumers are advised to
be careful about products
carrying the label
“conforming to ISI” or
“Fitted with ISI element”
as these marking are
spurious and illegal and
mislead the consumers.
Consumers are advised to
be wary of such
misrepresentations and
bring them to the Bureau's
notice.
As a quality conscious
consumer you must try a
wide range of standardized
goods available in the
market. Your feedback
would help the BIS tighten
the supervisory control
over manufacturers and
this, in turn , would help
the industry concerned to
become a trusted and
respected enterprise for
the common man, thereby
making a vital
contribution to the
improvement of life. So,
when you are out shopping
next time, do not shop
blind folded and be careful
that you buy quality
products. There might be a
slight price difference but
life after all is a matter of
quality and safety..
A Part of our Life
Renuka Salwan Dy. Director (PR) Bureau of Indian Standards, Chandigarh
![Page 26: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
rior to the 1991-92
economic Pliberalization,
telecommunication
services in India were
monopoly of the state
sector. These services were
opened to the private
sector during post-
liberalization period. Since
the entry of private sector,
these have witnessed a
phenomenal growth in
terms of increase in
number of services and
service providers. The
growing role of the private
sector in the telecom sector
has raised policy questions
such as fair competition;
prices; quality of services
and social and spatial
equity. Keeping this in
view, the
Telecommunication Policy,
1994 envisaged setting up
of a regulatory authority.
In 1997, the government
of India set up the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of
India (TRAI).
The Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India (TRAI)
was constituted in 1997
under “The Telecom
Regulatory Authority Of
India Act, 1997”, dated
28th March, 1997. The Act
was further amended in
the year 2000 by the
promulgation of “The
Telecom Regulatory
Authority Of India
(Amendment) Ordinance,
2000”, dated 24th
January, 2000. The major
aim of TRAI is to provide
an effective regulatory
framework, adequate
safeguards to ensure fair
competition and protection
of consumer interests.
TRAI has been assigned a
large number of functions,
out of these the most
important functions
include, to:
(i) facilitate competition
and promote efficiency
in the operation of
telecommunication
services so as to
facilitate growth in
such services;
(ii) protect the interest of
the consumers of
telecommunication
service;
(iii)lay-down the standards
of quality of service to
be provided by the
service providers;
(iv)ensure the quality of
service;
(v) monitor the quality of
service and conduct
the periodical survey
of such provided by
the service providers;
and
(vi)ensure effective
compliance of
universal service
obligations (Gazettes
of India, 1997, 2000).
The TRAI comprises a full
time Chairperson, not
more than two whole time
members and not more
than two part-time
members, to be appointed
by the Central
Government. Special
knowledge of, and
professional experience in
telecommunication,
industry, finance,
accountancy, law,
management or consumer
affairs constitutes the
qualifications for
appointment as
Chairperson or members of
the Authority. The term of
the Chairperson and other
members is for three years
or till they attain the age of
65, which ever is earlier.
For day-to-day work, the
TRAI has full time
employees also.
Since its inception, TRAI
has been playing an
important role in
facilitating competition,
monitoring quality of
service, regulating tariff,
ensuring universal service
obligation and involving
various stakeholders. TRAI
has issued several Orders,
Directions and Regulations
addressing the concerns of
consumers including the
Quality of Service
standards.
TRAI has institutionalized
mechanism for registration
for consumer
organizations with it. TRAI
interacts periodically with
these consumer
organizations or Consumer
Advocacy Groups (CAGs).
Citizens Awareness Group,
Chandigarh is one amongst
41 such groups. Through
mutual discussions
between these consumer
organizations and service
providers, a Common
Charter of Telecom Service
was finalized, under the
aegis of TRAI to be adopted
by the service providers on
a voluntary basis.
There are lots of consumer
complaints in the telecom
sector. Absence of defined
framework for functioning
of the existing redressal
mechanisms is leading to
customer dissatisfaction.
Recently, Telecom
An Introduction
Dr. Akshat MehtaReader, Deptt. Public AdminstrationPunjab University, Chandigarh
TRAI
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 24
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
![Page 27: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 25
Regulatory Authority of
India has come out with
Telecom Consumers
Protection and Redressal of
Grievances Regulation,
2007 (3 of 2007), dated
4th May 2007 which calls
for the establishment of
three tier redressal
grievance mechanism,
namely: (a) Call Centre,
(b) Nodal Officer, (c)
Appellate Authority. It is
hoped that this mechanism
would go a long way in
ensuring consumer
protection.
It has been seen that TRAI
has been making its
utmost efforts in
facilitating competition
thereby promoting
efficiency in the operation
of the telecom sector,
protecting the interest of
the consumers, monitoring
Admission
Open
Regional Institute of Co-operative Management(A Govt. of India’s Co-operative Institute)Sector 32-C, Chandigarh 160 030
Campus wide Wi-Fi connectivity
Latest Software for practicals
Short cut tips & Tricks for last minute session of entire syllabus
4 hrs. daily classes by subject experts
Result oriented & Personalized teaching methodology
Separate Hostel facility for Boys & Girls
Post Graduate Diploma in ComputerApplication (PGDCA)EligibilityGraduate in any discipline from a Recognized University
DurationOne year (1st June 2010 to 31st May 2011)
FeeRs. 55,000/- (Payable in two installments)
Silent Features
Last Date31 May 2010
For inquires please contact :Mr. Sunil Kumar, Ph. 0172 - 2600557, 2609157, (Ext. 115) Fax : 0172 - 2660973Mobile : 0 93573 97549
Prospectus can be free of cost from the office on working days during 9:00 am to 5:00pm
the quality of services and
ensuring effective
compliance of the
universal service
obligations. However, TRAI
suffers from many
limitations; the important
limitations include lack of
adequate powers to execute
its decisions; ineffective in
ensuring quality of service
as per the benchmarks in
case of certain parameters
of quality, such as, call
completion rate, signal
clarity and inter-cellular
connectivity; and
ineffectiveness in
spreading of telecom
services to the rural areas.
It is suggested that TRAI
may be provided more
teeth as powerful TRAI can
enforce the quality of
service norms more
effectively.
Disclaimer
The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error omissions contained in this publications, however caused. The options and views contained in this publication, however are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting or information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademark is acknowledged. No part of this publications or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair reviews.
Statement about ownership and other particulars about “Investors Update” required to be published under Rule 8 of the registration of Newspapers (Central) Rule, 1956 FROM IV (See Rule 8)
1. Place of Publication : Chandigarh2. Periodicity of its Publication : Bi-Monthly3. Printer's Name : Nex-Gen Graphibiz
a) Nationality : Indianb) Whether a Citizen of India : YesAddress : Plot No. F-191, Industrial Area, Phase 8-B, SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab
4. Editor/Publisher's Name : Surinder Vermaa) Nationality : Indianb) Whether a Citizen of India : YesAddress : #2812, Sector 38-C, Chandigarh(O) 0172 - 4007412, Email : [email protected]
I, Surinder Verma hereby declare that theparticulars given above are true to thebest of my knowledge and belief.
www.cagchandigarh.in
Publisher's statement
Sd/-Mr. Surinder Verma
![Page 28: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 26
hild labour in India is
a human right issue Cfor the whole world. It
is a serious and extensive
problem, with many children
under the age of fourteen
working in carpet making
factories, glass blowing units
and making fireworks with
bare little hands. According
to the statistics given by
Indian government there are
20 million child laborers in
the country, while other
agencies claim that it is 50
million.
In Northern India the
exploitation of little children
for labour is an accepted
practice and perceived by the
local population as a
necessity to alleviate poverty.
Carpet weaving industries
pay very low wages to child
labourers and make them
work for long hours in
unhygienic conditions.
Children working in such
units are mainly migrant
workers from Northern
India, who are shunted here
by their families to earn some
money and send it to them.
Their families dependence on
their income, forces them to
endure the onerous work
conditions in the carpet
factories. The situation of
child laborers in India is
desperate. Children work for
eight hours at a stretch with
only a small break for meals.
The meals are also frugal and
Child labour in IndiaDr. Babita Agrawal, Associate Prof. & HOD Economics, A K P G College, Hapur, Ghaziabad, UP
Introduction the children are ill
nourished. Most of the
migrant children, who
cannot go home, sleep at
their work place, which is
very bad for their health and
development. Seventy five
percent of Indian population
still resides in rural areas
and are very poor. Children
in rural families who are
ailing with poverty perceive
their children as an income
generating resource to
supplement the family
income. Parents sacrifice
their children's education to
the growing needs of their
younger siblings in such
families and view them as
wage earners for the entire
clan.
The Indian government has
tried to take some steps to
alleviate the problem of child
labor in recent years by
invoking a law that makes
the employment of children
below 14 illegal, except in
family owned enterprises.
However this law is rarely
adhered to due to practical
difficulties. Factories usually
find loopholes and
circumvent the law by
declaring that the child
laborer is a distant family
member. Also in villages
there is no law implementing
mechanism, and any punitive
actions for commercial
enterprises violating these
laws is almost non existent.
Child labor is a conspicuous
problem in India. Its
prevalence is evident in the
child work participation rate,
which is more than that of
other developing countries.
Poverty is the reason for child
labor in India. The meager
income of child labourers is
also absorbed by their
families. The paucity of
organized banking in the
rural areas creates a void in
taking facilities, forcing poor
families to push their
children in harsh labor, the
harshest being bonded labor.
Bonded labor traps the
growing child in a hostage
like condition for years. The
importance of formal
education is also not realized,
as the child can be absorbed
in economically beneficial
activities at a young age.
Moreover there is no access
to proper education in the
remote areas of rural India
STOP CHILD LABOUR
Policies of child labour
There are specific clauses in the draft of Indian
constitution dated 26th January 1950, about the child
labor policy in India. These are conveyed through
different articles in the Fundamental rights and the
Directive Principles of the State Policy. They lay down
four specific policy rules regarding child labor.
They are as following:-
1) Article 14) No child below the age of 14 years shall be
employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged
in any other hazardous employment.
2) Article 39-E) The state shall direct its policy towards
securing that the health and strength of workers,
men and women and the tender age of children are
not abused and that they are not forced by economic
necessity to enter vocations unsuited to there are and
strength.
3) (Article 39-f ) Children shall be given opportunities
and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and in
conditions of freedom and dignity and that childhood
and youth shall be protected against moral and
material abandonment.
4) (Article 45 ) The state shall endeavor to provide
within a period of ten years from the commencement
of the constitution for free and compulsory education
for all children until they complete the age of fourteen
years.
![Page 29: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 27
for most people, which leaves
the Hilden with no choice.
Causes of child
labour
Some common causes of
child labor are poverty,
parental illiteracy, social
apathy, ignorance, lack of
education and exposure,
exploitation of cheap and
unorganized labour. The
family practice to inculcate
traditional skills in children
also pulls little ones
inexorably in the trap of
child labour, as they never
get the opportunity to learn
anything else.
Adult unemployment and
urbanization also causes
child labour. Adults often
find it difficult to find jobs
because factory owners find
it more beneficial to employ
children at cheap rates. This
exploitation is particularly
visible in garment factories
of urban areas. Adult
exploitation of children is
also seen in many places.
Elders relax at home and live
on the labour of poor
helpless children.
The industrial revolution has
also had a negative effect by
giving rise to circumstances
which encourages child
labour. Sometimes
multinationals prefer to
employ child workers in the
developing countries. This is
so because they can be
recruited for less pay, more
work can be extracted from
them and there is no union
problem with them. This
attitude also makes it
difficult for adults to find
jobs in factories, forcing
them to drive their little ones
to work to keep the fire
burning their homes.
The incidence of child labour
would diminish considerably
even in the face of poverty, if
there are no parties willing
to exploits them. Strict
implementation of child
labor laws and practical and
healthy alternatives to
replace this evil can go a long
way to solve the problem of
child labour. Children who
are born out of wedlock,
orphaned or abandoned are
especially vulnerable to
exploitation. They are forced
to work for survival when
there are no adults and
relatives to support them.
Livelihood considerations
can also drive a child into the
dirtiest forms of child labour
like child prostitution and
organized begging.
It was also decided that both
the Union government and
the State government could
legislate on matters
concerning child labor.
Various legislative initiatives
were also taken in this
regard at both the State and
Union level.
The main legislative
measures at the national
level are The Child Labour
Prohibition and Regulation
Act -1986 and The Factories
Act -1948. The first act was
categorical in prohibiting the
employment of children
below fourteen years of age,
and identified 57 processes
and 13 occupations which
were considered dangerous
to the health and lives of
children. The details of these
occupations and processes
are listed in the schedule to
the said Act.
The factories act again
prohibits the employment of
children less than fourteen
years of age. However an
adolescent aged between 15
and 18 can be recruited for
factory employment only
after securing a fitness
certificate from a medical
doctor who is authorized.
The Act proceeds to prescribe
only four and and hour's
work period per day for
children between 14 and 18
years. Children are also not
allowed to work in night
shifts.
Moreover, in the year 1996
the Supreme Court of India
came out with a judgment in
court that directed the State
and Union government to
make a list of all children
embroiled in hazardous
occupations and processes.
They were then told to pull
them out of work and asked
to provide them with proper
education of quality. The
judiciary also laid down that
Child Labour and Welfare
Fund is set up. The
contribution for this was to
be received from employers
who contravened the Child
Labor Act.
India is also a signatory to
the UN Convention on the
Rights of the Child, ILO
Abolition of Forced
Convention – No 105 and
ILO Forced labor Convention
– No. 29. A National Labor
Policy was also adopted in
the year 1987 in accordance
with India's development
strategies and aims. The
National Policy was designed
to reinforce the directive
principles of state policy in
the Indian constitution.
The above fact is beautifully
expressed by Wordsworth in
his famous lines “child is
father of the man”. So it
becomes imperative for the
health of future of a
community is in the well
being of its children. The a
nation to protect its children
from premature labour
which is hazardous to their
mental, physical, educational
and spiritual development
needs. It is urgently required
to save children from the
murderous clutches of social
injustice and educational
deprivation, and ensure that
they are given opportunities
for healthy, normal and
happy growth.
The venerable Indian poet
Rabindranth Tagore has said
time and again, that every
country is absolutely bound
by its duty to provide free
primary education to its
children. It is important to
remember that
industrialization can afford
to wait but youth cannot be
captured for long. It is
imperative that the basic
tenet made in article 24 of
the Indian constitution -
prohibiting the employment
of any child below fourteen
years of age, in a factory,
mine or any other hazardous
employment be stopped – be
adhered to. There should be
no ambiguity in ensuring the
right of every child to free
basic education and the
promise of the constitution
should be fully implemented
in the here and now.
Projects related with human
resource development,
dedicated to the child welfare
issues must be given top
priority by the central and
state governments to stop the
menace of child labour. Child
labour laws need to be
strictly implemented at the
central and state levels.
Corruption and negligence in
child labor offices and
employee circles should be
dealt with very strictly by the
judiciary and the police force.
The development needs of
growing children can only be
provided for, by stopping the
onerous practice of child
labour in organized and non
organized sectors with
utmost sincerity. This is the
only way a nation can train
its children to be wholesome
future citizens, who are
happy and prosperous. The
provision of equal and proper
opportunities for the
educational needs of growing
children in accordance with
constitutional directives will
go a long way in stopping the
evil practice of child labor.
Conclusion
Concerned about the future
of its children India has
implemented a country- wide
ban recently, on children
below fourteen working in
the hospitality sector and as
domestics. It is intended that
those who are found to
Continued on Page 28
![Page 30: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 28
violate the law will be fined with 430 dollars and sent into
rigorous imprisonment for two years. Children in India are
not allowed to work in mines, factories and other hazardous
jobs already. Two more professions have been added in a list
of fifty seven occupations which were considered hazardous
for a child's development needs in the 'child labor act' passed
in 1986. Childs rights activists are waxing eloquent in high
pitched voices about the absolute importance of stopping
child labor. But legislation in this regard is just like an
intention. It is more important to take development
measures to ensure its practical application by eliminating
the reasons of child labor from our society. The reasons
giving birth to child labor are poverty, illiteracy, scarcity of
schools, ignorance, socially regressive practices, blind
customs and traditions, migration and last but not the least
corruption amongst employees and government labor
organizations. People should not be able to get away with
The Consumer PanchayatMr. Bejon Misra, Consumer Expert & Founder Trustee, Consumer Online Foundation, New Delhi, INDIA
Plight of the rural and urban poor in developing countries
Child labour in IndiaContinued from Page 27
he Consumer
movement in India Ttraces its antecedents
to the consumer organization
registered in Chennai in the
1930's by a follower of
Mahatma Gandhi. This was
at the height of Gandhi's
campaign for freedom from
colonial rule. However, it
was the enactment of the
Consumer Protection Act in
1986 that provided the
impetus for the consumer
movement in India to
flourish.
The Consumer Protection Act
1986 of India is unique in
that it brought within its
ambit of protection a whole
class of consumers
previously not recognized by
other consumer protection
statutes. The 'self employed”
who purchased goods and
services for use in their own
small trades (including for
instance women doing
household tailoring to earn
an income, street hawkers
selling cooked or uncooked
food items, petty traders,
etc.) were all included in the
definition of ' consumer”. The
Consumer Protection Act
1986 of India therefore
explicitly called for
protection of not only those
who could afford to purchase
goods and services in the
marketplace but also
consumers from rural India
who earn a meager living out
of engaging in small trading
activities. Workers in the
unorganized sector are
estimated to constitute 92
percent of the country's work
force.
The India legislation
expanded the traditional
paradigm of consumer
protection and paved the way
for a paradigm shift. Indeed
a revolution in the consumer
movement was set in process.
However, this new vision of
consumer protection has
remained in the statute
books; because it has largely
not been exercised and /or
implemented by all
stakeholders in India –
namely the government, the
consumer organizations and
industry.
The poor, the marginalized
informal sector and the
consumers in rural India
who are the largest group of
consumers in India
(estimated at 700 million-
strong out of a billion1)
today remain ignored and
unprotected. This is also the
case in China. The Law of
the Peoples Republic of China
on the Protection of
Consumer Rights and
Interests 1993 includes
peasants within its ambit.
Yet, the state has largely
ignored the plight of farmers
and other consumers in the
rural areas. Indeed, all over
the developing world, the
interests of the rural and
urban poor are largely
ignored and they are not
represented as a community
of consumers. Their rights
to basic needs such as food,
health and education remain
unattainable and
unachievable and this in
spite of the many
development plans and
programmes that target them
as beneficiaries.
At the 4th National
Convention of the Consumer
Coordination Council (CCC),
a national coalition of more
than 60 leading consumer
organizations in India, it was
recommended that the time
had come for consumer
organizations to take their
movement to rural India.
More than 1000 delegates
representing various
stakeholders including
representatives of the
developing countries and
consumers International
who attended the CCC
convention, held on 30-31
July 2005 at Vigyan Bhavan
in New Delhi, agreed to
implement an action plan to
![Page 31: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 29
undertake this mammoth
task (available on
www.core.nic.in). It was
agreed that this needs to be
undertaken by the consumer
organizations around the
world in coming years.
On 23rd August 2005 in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the
members of Consumers
International from the Asia
Pacific region, while
deliberating on the role of the
consumer movement in the
implementation of the
Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) collectively
declared that the consumer
movement should become
“Pro-Poor, Pro-Rural & Pro-
Women” in the coming years
and to target their activities
towards enabling the
fulfillment of the 8 MDGs by
2015.
(see www.ciroap.org/mdg for
more information on the
conference outcomes).
Keeping in view a three-
pronged approach to work on
health, food and education to
empower the consumers and
bridge the gap between the
rural and urban consumers,
it has been decided by the
consumers of rural India to
organize a three days
International Convention at a
village location in the State of
Uttar Pradesh in India from
27th to 29th September
2010. To know more about
the convention, please visit
www.consumerpanchayat.org
or www.bejonmisra.com
Objectives of the
Convention:
1. To develop a blueprint for
developing countries in
Asia Pacific on how to
build a strong and
effective consumer
movement to tackle food,
health and education
issues confronting poor
consumers living in rural
and urban slums and to
take into account the
gender dimension in their
work in order to
contribute towards the
fulfillment of the MDGS
on food, health and
education.
2. To provide the real-time
environment of a village
in rural India to the
leaders working in the
national, regional and
international consumer
movement to witness
firsthand the plight of the
poor and to listen to the
voices of the poor
consumer;
3. To share information and
educate the delegates
participating at the rural
convention on the three
main issues confronting
rural consumers i.e. food,
health and education in
the context of the 8
consumer rights and their
link to the Millennium
Development Goals
(MDGs)
The UN Guidelines for
Consumer Protection adopted
by the UN General Assembly
in 1985, and expanded in
1999 has hitherto provided
the basic framework for the
consumer movement and
governments to organize
their work. While this will
still from the basic agenda,
the current initiative of the
consumer organizations in
India will in addition call on
the consumer movement to
adopt the MDG targets as a
direction to which the
consumer movement and
governments in the region
will be heading to alleviate
the suffering of the millions
of consumers who are unable
to consume and claim their
basic needs.
The event, planned by
Consumer Online Foundation
along with all the
stakeholders working in the
interest of the consumers
will provide a platform to
take into account the
interests and needs of
consumers in developing
countries around the world.
It will focus on the special
problems faced by poor, rural
and women consumers and
seek to address the
imbalances in economic
terms, educational levels, and
bargaining power these
groups of consumers face. It
will emphasize their right of
access to basic needs, as well
as the right to just, equitable
and sustainable economic
and social development.
Be Visible Be Wise
Get special discounts oncontract rates
3-6 Insertions 10% discount7-12 Insertions 20% discount
The cheque should be drawn in favour of 'Citizens Awareness Group'
payable at Chandigarh.
For more details : Mr. Surinder Verma
#2812, Sector 38 C, Chandigarh M : 094170 08805
Citizen Awareness Group is registered with TRAI and Consumers Advocacy Group, since June 2009 and is a registered a NGO under the society Act sicne December 1994 as a part of its endeavor to generate about the rights of consumer it organises workshops in Northern region from time-to-time. Now it has started bi-monthly magazine, ‘Consumers Power’ which goes toa large number of consumers and service providers. The magazine is the right media to reach out to the Consumers community at a most cost effective manner. As a regular advertiser you can avail of a special discounted rates too.
Position Single Insert
Back Title: Rs. 20,000 Inside Front title Rs. 15,000 Inside Back Title Rs. 12,000Full Page Rs. 10,000Half Page Rs. 6,000Quarter Page Rs. 3,500
![Page 32: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 30
iberalisation is paving
way for a market-Ldriven economy, where
the manufacturers seek to
maximise profits.
Manufacturers are not often
concerned about the quality
of goods and services and
their impact on the health of
people and the environment.
Instead of the consumer
guiding the producer about
what should be produced, it is
the producer who decides
what the consumer should
want. The plight of a
consumer is further
worsened by the use of
advertising techniques.
Consumers are saddled with
the problem of choosing
between too many products
with too less information.
With the concentration of
market in the hands of a few
large corporations, it becomes
important that the consumers
are aware of their rights in
order to ensure proper
standards for the goods and
services for which they make
payment.
There are many goods which
are sold in the market
without much information
about their quality, quantity
and purity. In case of goods
meant for mass consumption
like, food, milk products,
edible oil etc. the ingredients
are not known.
Manufacturers or producers
seldom follow the safety
regulations in the products
like, lamps, batteries,
Consumer Awareness
footwear, electrical
equipments, wires, cement,
LPG cylinders, stoves,
switches, plugs, sockets etc.
leading to many fatal
accidents. Adulteration of
food is another major
problem. Milk can contain
detergent, refined oil, caustic
soda or urea. Mustard oil can
be adulterated with argemone
oil and arhar dal with yellow
colour. Vegetables and fruits
are artificially coloured.
Indiscriminate use of
pesticides by farmers and
untreated effluents by
industries, have led to the
problem of food
contamination by pesticide
residues and toxic heavy
metals.
Although in Kautilya's
Arthashastra, strict rules
were set for the trade and
industry and punishments
for exploitation were
prescribed. But, there was no
organised and systematic
movement safeguarding the
interests of the consumers in
India. Rampant food
shortages, hoarding, black
marketing, adulteration of
food and edible oil gave birth
to the consumer movement
in an organised form in the
sixties. Consumers started
voicing their concerns and
demanding better products
and services. Till mid
seventies, consumer
organisations were largely
engaged in writing articles
and holding exhibitions. They
Rights & Responsibilities
formed consumer groups to
work on the malpractices in
ration shops and
overcrowding in the road
passenger transport. The
eighties witnessed an
upsurge in the number of
consumer groups.
The battle for consumer
protection has to be fought by
many agencies. The
Government has to play an
important role, by enacting
suitable laws and enforcing
them effectively. India has
been observing 15th March
since 1989 as the National
Consumers' Day. This day has
a historic importance as it
was on this day in 1962, that
the Bill for Consumer Rights
was moved in the US
Congress. Steps have been
taken by the Government of
India by way of enactment of
various Acts and other
measures to help consumers.
Indian Penal Code, Standards
of Weights and Measures Act,
Motor Vehicle Act, are some
of the Acts. Despite these
Acts, the fact remains that
very little could be achieved
in the field of consumer
protection. A major
breakthrough came during
1986 when Parliament
passed a law for Consumer
Protection Act -1986. Three-
tier quasi-judicial machinery
at the district, state and
national levels was set up
with a view to provide speedy
and simple redressal to
consumer disputes. The
District Forum deals with the
cases involving claims upto
Rs. 20 lakhs, the State
Commission between Rs.20
lakhs to one crore and the
National Commission deals
with the cases involving
claims exceeding Rs. one
crore. The objective of the
consumer courts is to ensure
speedy justice to the
consumers against various
malpractices and negligence
without involving any cost,
as no court fees is charged.
Consumer courts have been
set up as special courts, as it
was expensive and time
consuming to get justice
through civil courts.
The Consumer Protection
Act, which has been defined
as “the Magna Carta of
Consumers”, spells out six
consumer rights: Right to
Safety, Right to Information,
Right to Choice, Right to
Representation, Right to
Redress, and Right to
Consumer Education. India
has the biggest consumer
movement today due to the
efforts of consumer
organisations and the
establishment of consumer
courts. India is the only
country in the world which
has exclusive courts for
consumer redressal. This has
been internationally praised
including the developed
countries. The Consumer
Protection Act (COPRA) has
succeeded in bringing about
fair play in the supply of
![Page 33: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 31
goods and services to a large
extent. The Act applies to
almost all goods and services.
Still, the present scenario is
not very encouraging.
Unfortunately the consumer
courts have become replica of
legal courts, as the procedure
is no longer simple and
quick. The consumer
redressal process is relatively
cumbersome and more
expensive and time-
consuming than desired. The
process involves engaging a
professional personnel,
requires time for filing the
case and attending the court
proceeding and certain other
formalities like producing the
bill, warranty cards etc.
These procedures need to be
made simpler and quicker for
making the process more
meaningful and realistic.
Consumers have the social
responsibility of exposing the
manufacture/supplier or the
service provider for resorting
to illegal trade practices.
Unethical notings like “Goods
once sold will never be taken
back” are in sharp contrast to
the practice in some of the
developed countries, where
the sellers declare, “In case
you are not fully satisfied
with our product, you can
bring the same to us within a
month for either replacement
or return of your money.”
This is the result of consumer
consciousness. Consumers
have to realize their role and
importance. The consumer
movements can be winner
Yes ! I would like to be a Member of CAG
Individual Membership Institutional Membership Lifetime Membership
Name : Mr/ Mrs. First Middle Last
Designation Institution
Department Area of Interest
Profession Student Researcher Civil Servant Media Academician
Environment Business Others (Please specify)
Address : (Office/Residence)
City State Country Pin code
Phones : Office Residence Fax E_mail
I wish to pay : Cash Cheque/ Demand Draft (add Rs. 50/- outstation Cheque)
DD/ Cheque No. Dated_______________payable to Citizens Awareness Group, Chandigarh
Annual Individual Membership Fee
Annual Institutional Membership Fee
Lifetime Membership Fee
Term Amount
Rs. 300
Rs. 5,000
Rs. 2,000
Please fill this form & send to Citizens Awareness Group # 2812, Sector 38-C, Chandigarh
Members
will get the free
subscription
of the magazine
CAG Consumers
Power
movements only with our
active involvement by
knowing our rights and
enforcing them. It requires a
voluntary effort involving the
participation of one and all.
If the consumers remain
passive, they will continue to
be exploited. It is necessary
that consumers take action
with solidarity to get a fair
deal and timely redressal. An
alert consumer is a safe
consumer!
![Page 34: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Activities
Seminar on “Be Financially Literate: Save Your Investments” organised by Citizens Awareness Group in Association with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, New Delhi at the office of UGCE, Chandigarh on 12 January 2010.
Shri Surinder Verma, Chairman of Citizens Awareness Group giving talk on the consumers rights at NSS Camp in the Govt. Business College, Sector 42 Chandigarh on 12 December 2009.
Citizens Awareness Group and Sewa Sanskar Foundation organised a function for the distribution of sweaters and socks to out of school children of Alternative Innovative Education (AIE) centres in Govt. Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 10, Chandigarh.
Shri Surinder Verma, Chairman of Citizens Awareness Group giving talk on the precautions that should be taken by investors while dealing with the security market in the seminar of the Consumer Association Chandigarh and Chandigarh Administration at the ICSSR Complex PU, Chandigarh on28 December 2009.
Save Girl Child Seminar organised by Citizen Awareness Group
Republic Day Celebrate on 25 January 2010 with children
International Womens Day Celebration on 8th March 2010
CONSUMERS POWER | May 2010 | 32
Citizen’s Awareness Group has been on the forefront of reaching out to the consumer’s and empower them through various activities.
![Page 35: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Here are some Do's of stock investments: 1. Always insist on contract notes from your broker. Verify their genuineness on the on the
Exchange website. 2. Before you place stock orders with your broker, check the company's, redentials, recent announcements and
disclosures under various regulations. Accurate sources are Exchange and company websites, business magazines.
Don't's: 1. Don't keep your Demat Transaction slip book with any broker/sub-broker. 2. Don't get carried away by the onslaught of
advertisements about the financial performance of companies in print and electronic media.
Why deal with unauthorized operators ?Buy or sell shares only through brokers registered with Stock Exchanges.
![Page 36: CONSUMERS POWER](https://reader030.fdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022032612/568c0e9e1a28ab955a91249c/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)