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New Delhi, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday noted that the Centre has taken many pro-active steps in last few years to control retail prices of food items and said the government will keep inflation under control while ensuring country’s economic growth. He was addressing an event, organised by the ministry here, to celebrate National Consumers Day. “Today, India has become the fastest growing large economy. Going forward, we will keep inflation under check and also ensure economic growth,” Goyal said. Retail inflation inched up to a three-month high of 5.55 per cent in November driven by higher food prices, according to latest official data. The retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was at 4.87 per cent in October. Inflation had been declining since August when it touched 6.83 per cent. On steps taken by the central government, Goyal highlighted that 140 new price monitoring centres have been set up to keep a close watch on wholesale and retail prices of essential commodities. “Today, prices are being monitored at 550 (consuming) centres on a daily basis. This helps in insulating consumers from price rise,” Goyal said. In the last two years, he said, when the entire world witnessed very high inflation, especially in the food items, India was able to control inflation through pro-active fiscal and monetary policies. “Whenever inflation (in some commodity) started rising, the government took pro-active measures and controlled it.” Goyal cited measures taken by the Centre to control price rise in tomatoes and onions in a short period of time. The government sold tomatoes and onions through retail outlets of NCCF, NAFED and Kendriya Bhandar as well as mobile vans. In case of onion, he said the government is buying onions from farmers to create buffer stock and ensure they get a fair price of their produce. He also highlighted that the Centre is selling Bharat Dal at Rs 60 per kg and Bharat atta at Rs 27.50 per kg to provide relief to common man. The government has banned exports of wheat, broken rice, non-basmati white rice and onions. It has also reduced import duties on edible oils and pulses to boost domestic supply and control price rise. Talking about consumer protection issues, Goyal appreciated the work done by his ministry and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) to resolve consumers’ grievances. He stressed on the need to clear backlong of cases pending at consumer courts at national, state and district levels. “We are all collectively working for better consumer satisfaction,” he said, adding that the country will progress if consumers would be satisfied. Dec 24,2023 Source: Economic Times

Consumer protection regulator CCPA on Tuesday said it is ready with draft guidelines specifying “dos and don’ts” to prevent coaching institutes from making “false claims” in advertisements regarding success rates of candidates. The draft guidelines will be approved and issued soon, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Chief Commissioner and Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI. Singh, who headed the committee that prepared the draft guidelines, said several meetings were held for drafting the guidelines and the recent one was on January 8. Asserting that protection of consumer’s interest is a paramount concern for CCPA, Singh highlighted the need for clarity, specifically in addressing certain aspects related to advertisements with respect to coaching centers. “The committee observed that there is an urgent need to issue the guidelines and the draft as discussed in the (January 8) meeting should be issued at the earliest,” the CCPA said in a statement. According to the CCPA, the proposed guidelines will be applicable to all the coaching institutes, whether online or physical, and will cover all forms of advertisement regardless of form, format or medium. The draft guidelines prescribe conditions when an advertisement by a coaching institute will be construed to be a misleading advertisement under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 which inter-alia include concealing information related to the course opted by the successful candidates (whether free or paid) and duration of course, among others. As per the proposed guidelines, coaching institutes should not make false claims regarding success rates or number of selections and any other practices that may lead to consumer misunderstanding or subvert consumer autonomy and choice. Before coming up with advertisements, coaching institutes are required to follow “dos and don’ts”. For instance, coaching institute should mention requisite information along with the photo of a successful candidate. Details such as rank, type and duration of course and whether free or paid course need to be mentioned along with the photo of a successful candidate, according to the statement. Jan 09,2024 Source: Economic Times

Amazon India, announced on Wednesday, that it is expanding its consumer awareness campaign to the North Eastern states. The campaign titled “Mission GraHAQ” is a part of the company’s ongoing efforts to educate and empower consumers about online shopping and help build a trustworthy and safe experience for digital shoppers, Amazon said in a statement. “With this initiative, Amazon aims to proactively inform and educate consumers in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura about safe online shopping and reiterate its commitment to protecting consumers from bad actors,” the statement added. Amazon will reportedly be producing interactive radio programmes broadcasted three times a week on All India Radio (AIR), across 29 radio stations in the North East region. These broadcasts will be delivered in nine local languages most spoken in the region, ensuring accessibility and understanding. Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food And Public Distribution, lauded Amazon India for its proactive measures in enhancing consumer awareness regarding their rights and safety in online shopping. “Utilising radio broadcasts and delivering messages in local languages will empower consumers to fully comprehend the nuances of online shopping, fostering a deeper understanding of critical elements such as product information, online payments, grievance redressal, and consumer responsibilities,” he said. Chetan Krishnaswamy, Vice President of Public Policy at Amazon India, underlined the company’s unwavering dedication to providing a trustworthy and safe online shopping experience. “The Mission GraHAQ campaign embodies our commitment to educate consumers about their rights and empower them to make well-informed purchase decisions.” The three-month-long campaign, which began on October 31, is said to air radio spots in languages including Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Nagamese, Garo, Khasi, Nepali, Manipuri, and Mizo. These radio spots, a joint effort between Amazon and AIR, is also expected to cover various themes such as consumer rights, choice, available redressal mechanisms, and safe online shopping. Launched in 2022, the “Mission GraHAQ” campaign, according to Amazon, has already reached hundreds of thousands of consumers in over 100 cities across six states. Amazon India’s innovative approach, including street plays in local languages, has been instrumental in spreading information about trustworthy online shopping practices, the company added. Nov 01,2023 Source: CNBCTV18

When making a purchase, most people primarily focus on whether the price fits their budget, often neglecting other crucial considerations such as durability or expiry dates. This tendency marks the starting point of consumer awareness. Consumers frequently face exploitation from traders who provide incomplete or incorrect information, manipulate weights, overcharge, or sell substandard goods. These practices can harm customers not just financially but also pose health risks and mental stress. In today’s competitive, globalized landscape, manufacturers prioritize profit maximization, often resorting to aggressive and misleading advertising that disregards consumer interests. Therefore, it becomes crucial for consumers to be well-informed about the products or services they purchase, safeguarding their interests by understanding their rights, checking product details, scrutinizing legal documents before signing, and taking precautions, especially in significant purchases like property. For items like groceries and food products, checking manufacturing and expiry dates and the contents list becomes imperative to avoid health hazards like food poisoning. Understanding consumer rights in the realm of services is equally complex. Many are unaware of their rights, leading to instances where hospitals or financial entities manipulate individuals into signing incomprehensible forms, later using these as evidence of consent, much to the detriment of the consumer. Major Legislations for Consumer Protection in India  Consumer protection, however, is not a new concept. It has historical roots, dating back to ancient texts that emphasized regulating trade and safeguarding consumer interests. In modern India, the Consumer Protection Act of 1986 was a significant step, providing clauses for consumer protection in both goods and services. Amendments to this act are underway, highlighting the government’s continued efforts to strengthen consumer protection, as seen in the upcoming Consumer Protection Bill. Moreover, the government has introduced standards and measures such as ISI marks, Hallmarks for jewelry, and RERA for real estate, aiming to shield consumers from malpractices. Government initiatives like DBT and Ujjawala also aim to protect citizens from falling victim to fraudulent schemes. However, while the government implements schemes, consumers must also familiarize themselves with available grievance redressal mechanisms. Consumer redressal mechanisms, integrated into the Consumer Protection Act, include forums like lok adalats, district and national consumer dispute redressal authorities, where consumers can seek redressal for grievances. Ultimately, while the government takes steps to protect consumers, individuals must actively engage with protection mechanisms and exercise their rights when purchasing goods or services. Consumer protection is a shared responsibility, and individuals must take an active role in safeguarding their interests. Nov 30,2023 Source: Times Of India

In April last year, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, and Microsoft India announced a collaborative project on remote healthcare. In February, the central health ministry’s telemedicine platform e-Sanjeevani, hosted on the Amazon Web Services’ cloud, reported having served 10 crore patients. Tamil Nadu, meanwhile, has partnered with Google for its Population Health Registry, aimed at creating a comprehensive health database of the state’s population. These are all agreements involving technology behemoths, public resources, taxpayer money, sensitive health data and critical services that serve all Indians. Yet, the fine print of these collaborations is not available in the public domain. The authors of this article found that the government stonewalled Right to Information queries seeking information on contracts between public authorities and private technology companies on digital health initiatives. Though the Right to Information Act as well as the judiciary have emphasised transparency, public authorities employed a range of tactics to refuse data from claiming that it was “personal information” to transferring and disposing of applications. This does not bode well for public health or the public interest. Partnerships with “Big Tech” companies have often sparked data privacy and transparency concerns, such as the misuse of data to profile users or for commercial purposes. There is also the risk of monopolistic practices developing. For example, in 2022, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance noted that the big players with vast repositories of consumer and business data resort to tracking and profiling end users to strengthen their position and prevent new players from entering the market. In 2013, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions issued an order directing public authorities to disclose all information related to public-private partnership contracts under Section 4 of the Right to Information Act. Section 4 deals with the obligations of public authorities. Still, more often than not, public-private partnership contracts are not available in the public domain. In October, the Delhi High Court, while ruling in the case of Prashant Reddy vs CPIO, modified an order passed by the Central Information Commission and directed the Unique Identification Authority of India to disclose its contracts with external organisations to handle grievance redressal under the Aadhaar Act. CPIO refers to the Central Public Information Officer, the public officials who deal with information requests. The court held that “complete transparency” was necessary in the way the contracts had been awarded. Dec 09,2023 Source: Support Scroll

Remittances, a critical lifeline for millions of people in developing economies, reached nearly $800 billion in 2022.  Approximately 80% of these funds, sent by migrants to their home countries, went to low and middle-income nations. This amount, about four times greater than last year’s official development assistance from all advanced economies, highlights the potential role of remittances in poverty reduction. Also, studies show that a 10% increase in international remittances as a share of a country’s GDP can lead to a 1.6% drop in poverty rates. But high transaction costs, averaging around 6.2% globally, greatly reduce their effectiveness. And vulnerable migrants often face exploitation and financial losses in the remittance process. UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan has called for governments to bolster consumer protection for both senders and recipients. Ms. Grynspan said that in our interconnected world, the protection of consumers in financial markets like remittances is “a matter of great importance and urgency”. “These remittances enhance resilience, enable investment in housing and provide stability,” she said on 27 November in her opening statement to an UNCTAD 5 measures to maximize the power of remittances UNCTAD recommends five key consumer protection measures to maximize the poverty-reducing power of remittances: These measures align with the 2015 United Nations guidelines for consumer protection, advocating regulatory oversight and financial education to combat fraud. UNCTAD’s recommendations come at a critical time as the world navigates the complexities of global finance and the increasing digitalization of services. “Thailand needs to accelerate consumer empowerment, and count on cooperation in this area from dialogue partners such as UNCTAD,” said Wimonrat Wim Teriyapirom, director of international cooperation for the country’s Consumer Protection Board. The statement reflects the growing trend of countries working with UNCTAD to safeguard consumer rights in financial services. Nov 29,2023 Source: UNCTAD

New Delhi: Buying acid from e-commerce platforms will no longer be easy with the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Wednesday directing all online platforms to make it compulsory for buyers to upload a photo ID issued by the government. The idea is to ensure that acid is not purchased by any individual below the age of 18 years, the government said in an official order. Besides, the CCPA has directed e-commerce players to take separate undertaking from acid sellers prior to onboarding them at their platforms. As per the order, online shopping platforms will now have to ensure the buyer discloses as part of the purchase process, the specific reason to procure acid. CCPA, which is led by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, has issued notices on Wednesday to all major e-commerce players after taking note of concerns around consumers’ and citizens’ safety from such unregulated sale of acid, an official statement issued by the authority said. “All e-commerce platforms have been asked to immediately incorporate appropriate mechanism to ensure that acid is not purchased on their platforms in violation to the mandatory requirements of the rules notified by the respective state governments,” the statement said. “A sale will be made only when the buyer produces a photo ID issued by the government having the address of person and proving that he/she is above 18 years of age,” the release said citing CCPA safety guidelines under Section 18(2)(j) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. CCPA, being the watchdog of consumer interest in India, has come across the sale of highly corrosive acids on e-commerce platforms. Availability of hazardous acids in such a freewheeling and easily accessible manner can be dangerous and unsafe for consumers and to public at large, it stated. Consumer safety is among the preambular objectives of the Act as consumer rights defined under Section 2(9) of the law include the right to be protected against the marketing of goods, products or services which are hazardous to life and property. The notices have been issued after it was observed that neither there is any requirement to produce photo ID nor there is any manner in which the purpose of buying the acid is recorded by the e-commerce platforms before placing an order, the ministry said. “Further, there is no actual mechanism by which age verification of the buyer takes place before placing the order. Enabling the purchase of acid in such a manner on the e-commerce platform is a clear violation to directions of the Supreme Court of India and the ministry of home affairs advisory, it said. Nov 29,2023 Source: Livemint

New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal Thursday asked industry to support each other in buying components made in India in their finished products. He also said that quality control orders (QCO) are not meant to stop imports but ensure whatever comes into the country- domestically produced or from abroad- are both good and high quality, and meet the basic standards of safety and basic needs of consumers. Insisting that quality is non-negotiable, he said: “Some of the products coming from these countries. You are also importing substandard products which go into your goods and cause huge risk to safety of life and property, safety of the consumers. Goyal was speaking at an event organised by the CEAMA. “Don’t compromise on quality ever. Support the Indian ecosystem,” he said. He said that there are times when a product is available in India but some companies including some multinationals prefer to import the same compinentt even though it’s available in India. “If at all there’s a quality issue, support the Indian company to make that high quality product. Support each other. I don’t see why you shouldn’t also be supporting somebody else who manufactures a product in India which you can buy, procure and use in your finished product thereby creating new job opportunities and expanding the ecosystem,” Goyal said. He said that the utensils industy didn’t want QCOs. “I see no reason why we should have suboptimal quality utensils in our homes…it’s been there for three years but when it comes to implementation, these delegations come and shoot from others’ shoulders,” Goyal said. Dec 07,2023 Source: Economic Times

New Delhi, The government on Tuesday launched a national protocol to provide for training of anganwadi workers to track and help children with disabilities. This is for the first time that anganwadi workers will spread awareness on the issue, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said. “If we look at it from a community perspective, it is a silent revolution in our community,” she said after the launch of the Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children. For the first time, “sisters from anganwadis will spread awareness that disability is not a challenge for society, but an opportunity for society to help a child. The mindset needs to be changed,” Irani said. She said that the National Education Policy-2020 emphasises prioritising integration of divyang students into mainstream schools. “We know 85 per cent of a child’s mental development happens by the age of 6. Today our education system has new provisions for divyang children…,” she said. Irani said grassroots level data about divyang children will become available through anganwadi workers, and the children can be further tracked through the Poshan tracker. The anganwadi eco-system reaches out to over eight crore children from birth to six years on a daily basis, and is a critical access point for building the base of the country’s children, according to a statement issued by the Women and Child Development Ministry. According to the National Education Policy-2020, integration of divyang students into mainstream schools should be prioritized, rather than establish segregated educational institutions. The National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage 2022 further recommends approaches to addressing developmental delays and disability in schools, including advice on signs and symptoms, it said. In pursuance of these approaches, the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi programme has adopted the national ECCE Taskforce recommendation for play-based and activity-based learning pedagogy and strongly advocates special and timely support for divyang children, the statement said. According to the Draft National Policy for Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) (2021), one-third of most disabilities in India are estimated to be preventable, if they are detected early enough and adequately addressed. Through the ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi’s’ targeted focus on strengthening the foundation for India’s future generations, 13.9 lakh anganwadi centres will be up-skilled to adopt a multi-sensory and toy-based approach to address the different needs of children. Nov 28,2023 Source: Economic Times

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has asked Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel to clearly state the terms and conditions of their unlimited 5G data offerings to customers. While giving a clean chit to both the operators on the predatory pricing complaint by Vodafone Idea, the regulator has concluded that the tariffs are not below costs as alleged by Vodafone Idea, officials familiar with the matter told ET. They added that Vodafone Idea itself has been offering unlimited 4G data. Trai’s directive to Jio and Airtel means that both the players can continue to offer unlimited 5G data but would need to explain the terms and conditions in a more elaborate way. Both the telcos have complied and updated their terms and conditions for the tariff plans. Airtel has updated its fair usage policy (FUP) for 5G unlimited data and has specified that commercial usage is considered where data usage is beyond 300 GB in 30 days. “It is clarified and stated that these offers are only meant for personal and non-commercial use, and are not intended for any commercial use, or special or enterprise plans. Airtel reserves the right to end/suspend/modify the offer/services in specific cases of commercial use, or any fraudulent use,” Airtel’s terms and conditions said. Similarly, Reliance Jio has tweaked its terms and conditions around its Jio True 5G unlimited offering. As per Jio, while there are no restrictions on consumption, actual download speeds experience by a user is dependent on multiple factors like device, radio propagation characteristics in various topologies, latency on popular websites, type of mobile applications and operating system installed on a handset, and number of users on a particular cell etc. “All these factors affect the latency, throughput as well as overall user experience and consumption, and most of these issues are beyond the control of TSPs (telecom service providers) and may limit the data usages by a subscriber,” Jio said. Currently, there are no rules that bar a telecom operator from offering unlimited plans, but the tariffs should not be below costs. The telcos also need to explain the terms and conditions to customers. For instance, in case of unlimited data plans, the telcos need to inform customers if the FUP—or unlimited till a certain amount of data after which the speed slows down—is applicable. Both Jio and Airtel have told the regulator that unlimited data does not mean infinity as its usage is limited by speed and network. The two argued that they were not offering anything for free as 5G was being given as part of 4G packs and were charged accordingly. In fact, the cost of providing 1GB of 5G data is much less than that of 4G. The issue around predatory pricing gained prominence in 2016, when Airtel and Vodafone Idea accused Jio of predatory pricing after the new entrant announced promotional plans that gave voice and data for free for months at a stretch. Jio had denied any wrongdoing. The anti-trust body also had then rejected allegations of the incumbent players. Dec 05,2023 Source: Economic Times