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Authority to enable swift action against erring companies soon: Paswan
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Tuesday, 26 May, 2015, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Archana Aroor and Libin Chacko Kurian, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d A broad-based consumer protection authority would be set up which will be empowered to take suo motu action against companies violating rules, according to Ram Vilas Paswan, Union minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution. The minister revealed this at a press conference held here on Monday to mark the achievements of his ministry on the occasion of completion of one year of NDA government in office.
Paswan pointed out, “Strengthening food security and protection of interests of the common man as consumer has been a high priority for NDA government and we are with NDA on the agenda of development.”
The minister informed that the Centre was planning to bring in gradually some amendments to the Consumer Protection Act to protect consumers and ensure that the Indian consumer received quality product. This will also help the consumers in avoiding exploitation and fleecing for commercial gains.
“Intense consultations are the way to revisit the schedules of the Act,” stated Paswan, adding that in that connection his ministry had called for a meeting of the National Consumer Council, state consumer forums, agencies and other related officials in New Delhi, on May 29, 2015, to discuss the requirements and gaps in the Act with regard to consumer related issues.
In his speech, the minister highlighted a number of points to pinpoint the achievements of his ministry in terms of strengthening farmer welfare and food security. Measures have been taken for quality assurance of consumer goods and services in the country to give a fillip to 'Make in India.'
One of the significant points that he noted was that the Centre's decision to reimburse the amount of value cut on minimum support price (MSP) even for shrivelled and broken wheat grains or those with lustre loss, which was the first time in the country, and a relief to farmers affected by unseasonal rains.
An action plan was being finalised with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to provide better price support services to farmers in eastern states, especially small and marginal farmers, in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam where the procurement system had poor outreach to farmers.
Further, the minister said that a meeting with representatives of farmers, chief ministers of major sugarcane growing states and representatives convened to discuss the measures to facilitate the payment of sugarcane arrears and improve liquidity in sugar sector had led the ministry to push import duty to 40 per cent. The Duty-Free Import Authorisation scheme for exporters is withdrawn.
“It was also decided to withdraw the excise duty on ethanol for blending with petroleum from next sugar season so that the price would benefit sugar mills and facilitate the payment of sugarcane arrears,” stated Paswan. He mentioned that it was critical to note that the Central government decided to share 50 per cent of the cost handling and transportation of food grains incurred by states.
On a concluding note, he stated that a conference of state food minsters was organised and an integrated action plan on tackling food inflation was adopted last year, which enabled state governments to impose stock control orders on 'Essential Commodities' such as potatoes and onions.
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