House panel to Govt: Ensure N-E consumers feel assured of rights

HIGHLIGHTING lack of proper functioning of State Consumer Protection Council (SCPCs) in the northeastern states, a Parliamentary Standing Committee has asked the Centre to see that the mandates of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 are fulfilled in each state in the region so that the consumers feel assured of their rights and have a sense of belonging with the rest of the country.

In its report, the Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution said, “The Committee note that Section 6 (3) of Consumer Protection Act, 2019 stipulates that the State Consumer Protection Council (SCPCs) shall meet as and when necessary but not less than two meetings per year. They also note that Section 8 of the Act prescribes that District Consumer Protection Councils (DCPCs) should be established in each and every district.

The Committee note that the State of Arunachal Pradesh has constituted the State Consumer Protection Council (SCPC) but held no meeting. However, 18 District Consumer Protection Councils have been constituted in that state.

Formation of the commission at state and district levels is nil in Tripura, Mizoram and Sikkim. Manipur and Nagaland have one and eleven district commissions each without having constituted the SCPC. As regards the State of Assam, it has constituted the SCPC but not held any meeting yet. It is only the State of Meghalaya that has constituted the SCPC and held meetings.”

“The Committee, therefore, desire that the Central Government should see that the mandates of Section 6(3) and 8 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 are fulfilled in each of the states of the North East so that consumers in the region feel assured of their rights and have a sense of belonging with the rest of the country,” the committee said in its report on “Initiatives in the North East in the Field of Consumer Rights Protection”, tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.