Narendra Modi government is on its way in framing stricter legislation in order to protect the rights of the consumers along with setting up a Consumer Protection Authority (CPA), said PM Modi on Thursday.
“Consumers’ protection is this government’s priority. We are in the process of bringing a new law on consumer protection keeping in mind the need of the country and business practices here,” Modi said at an International Conference on Consumer Protection for East, South and South-East Asian Countries.
“We are in the process of formulating a Consumer Protection Authority, which will have executive powers, for immediate redressal.”
The rules were being streamlined to solve consumer issues in a less span of time with less cost, added the PM.
“We are stressing on consumer empowerment. Strict provisions are being contemplated against misleading advertisements,” said Modi.
The PM also said the prices of the commodities are set to decline and the interests of the consumers were to be protected effectively due to the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Because of GST, the competition among companies was going to rise up. So prices will go down. It will help consumers from lower middle class and poor sections,” Modi said.
Modi also said that India was among those fewer countries which had formulated a law post a year after the United Nations adopted the guidelines on consumer protection in 1986.
“ Earlier, transportation through trucks would take a span of five days but now it has declined to just three days as now the checkposts on borders have vanished after the GST has stepped in. It clearly means, the transportation cost has gone down. This is going to be transferred to consumers”.
Slamming those opposed to the GST, he said: “Some people may be taking advantage of the lack of awareness. However, the benefits will be transferred (to consumers) in days to come.”
Talking about the conference Modi said, “ It is the first conference in the region where everyone in their own ways is trying to save the interests of the consumers. However, we have to keep in mind that the world is going towards a single market”.
