Government to launch action plan for consumer protection

The government will launch a six-point action plan for consumer awareness and protection on World Consumer Rights Day on March 15, union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Thursday.

The plan includes jointly developing with the industry, and implementing, standards for grievance redress.

Under the plan, all industry associations and their members need to partner with national consumer helpline and state consumer helplines, the minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution said.

"As per the new plan, joint awareness campaigns will be launched and the corporates required to earmark a portion of the corporate social responsibility funds for consumer welfare activities," Paswan said.

"Also, action will be taken against fake, substandard and counterfeit products," he added.

The government has already introduced the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 in the Lok Sabha that proposes to create a Central Consumer Protection Authority to investigate unfair trade practices and check misleading advertisements, initiate action and order recall or replacement of defective products.

The Bill will also include e-commerce in its ambit.