SHRI YADAV ASKS STATES TO MAKE CONSUMER PROTECTION
COUNCILS FUNCTIONAL
The Union Minister of Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Sharad Yadav, has
expressed concern over the delay in disposal of consumer disputes.
Speaking at the meeting of the Central Consumer Protection Council
here today Shri Yadav said that the Central Government had already
addressed all possible areas where the existing law needed amendments
and improvements. He called upon the States and Union Territories
to ensure that the Consumer Protection Councils were functional.
Shri Yadav lamented that the
redressal agencies, particularly, the District Forums were handicapped
by lack of adequate staff and infrastructure and the poor remuneration
paid to the Members. He called for the co-operation of the State
governments for equipping the Consumer Forums with at least the
minimum required staff and infrastructure including delegation
of powers for their effective functioning. He said that during
the period 1995-99, the Centre disbursed assistance to the tune
of Rs.62 crore to the states for improving the infrastructure
of the Consumer Forums. However, the overall utilisation had been
only about 65 per cent. He urged upon the State governments to
ensure that the balance fund available from the grant was utilised
most expeditiously.
The Minister said that the
pecuniary jurisdictions of the District Forums and the State Commissions
were enhanced up to Rs.20 lakh and Rs.One crore respectively.
He said that recommendation of the recent meeting of Presidents
and Secretaries of State Commissions for an honorarium of Rs.10,000
for the Members of District Forums and Rs.15,000 for the Members
of the State Commissions was reasonable. He urged the states to
fulfil the requirements of the Consumer Forums accordingly. Shri
V. Srinivasa Prasad, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, also
spoke on the occasion.
Shri Yadav gave away the Swami
Vivekananda National Awards for Consumer Protection for the year
2001 to Voluntary Consumer Organisations and meritorious persons.
