Centre teams with NGO to rank most 'consumer-friendly state'

Come next year and 29 states and seven union territories in India will be ranked in accordance with their "consumer friendliness".

Consumer Online Foundation, an NGO focussing on consumer rights, is collaborating with the department of consumer affairs of the union government to rank the Indian states in this endeavour.

"In this survey report aimed to rank the states based on their consumer friendliness, we'll be talking to the consumer affairs department of various states to frame the parameters based on which the ranking will be done", Bejon Kumar Mishra, the organisation's chairman and chief functionary, said at an event here.

The results will be declared on March 15 next year, in New Delhi on World Consumer Rights Day.

The exercise is also aimed at providing an insight to the states on the various global best practices.

"We shall conduct a consultative process in at least six states in the next three months to develop the matrix (parameters for ranking)", he said.

Mishra said the central government and several state governments have agreed to support this initiative as they felt it was the right time to raise awareness about consumer rights.

West Bengal consumer affairs and self-help group minister Sadhan Pande welcomed the initiative.

"This will be an eye opener for the central government regarding which of the states in India is doing its best for consumer movement in the country," he said.

A report from the NGO said there are several laws in the country which have "out-lived its purpose or irrelevant in the present context" and need to be scrapped.

The Centre has allocated Rs.140 crore in the current year's budget for consumer affairs and raising awareness in the country.