Star News Agency

New Delhi. Department of Consumer Affairs is formulating a National Consumer Policy to ensure a structural framework for protection of consumers and their welfare. The draft National Consumer Policy has been formulated after extensive consultations with all stakeholders including Government, VCOs, NGOs etc. The major features of the policy are as follows :-

The National Consumer Policy would be based on the principles of empowering consumers, ensuring competition, opening up competition in areas where government is the sole service provider and strengthening Voluntary Consumer Organisations, to collect and disseminate information to consumers.

The implementation strategies for the same would be encouraging the establishment of internal dispute resolution mechanisms for all manufacturers and service providers, using legislation for enforcement of the rights of consumers, use of Essential Commodities Act for non-market interventions and ensuring harmonization of standards at both national and international levels to promote better choices.

The ultimate deliverables would be that consumers should be empowered to make real choices, enhancement of consumer welfare through promotion of competition, consumers are informed and educated about the products and services they are purchasing and the redressal mechanism available to them and involvement of consumers in formulating policies by various Government Departments.

The draft National Consumer Policy has been uploaded on the website of the Department www.fcamin.nic.in and comments have been invited from all stakeholders to the draft policy. Comments/suggestions, if any, may be sent to Shri Rajinder Chaudhry, Deputy Secretary (Publicity), Department of Consumer Affairs, Room no. 365, Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi or e-mailed at dspub-ca@nic.in. The comments may be sent by 30.01.2010.