Celebs to be held accountable for product endorsements: Paswan

Celebrities who endorse brands will be held accountable for misleading claims under the new Consumer Protection Act, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said today.
"The Act will be moved in the monsoon session of Parliament. It will provide for action against celebrities and others endorsing misleading advertisements," Paswan told PTI here.
The minister's statement comes in the backdrop of traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) demanding that brand ambassadors be brought under the ambit of Consumer Protection Act as consumers are often 'guided' through such endorsement, irrespective of the quality of the product.
CAIT, in a communication sent to Paswan, had demanded that specific guidelines be formulated, fixing the liability of brand ambassadors.

The Union Food Minister also said there has been a saving of Rs 10,000 crore through weeding out bogus ration cards.
"Our ministry detected 1.62 crore bogus ration cards," he said, attributing this success to the linking of ration cards with Aadhar numbers.

"Some other states including Bihar have not completed seeding of ration cards with Aadhar. In Bihar, the seeding is zero per cent. Maximum bogus ration cards are in Bihar. In UP too, the situation is similar," Paswan said.
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Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party, lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "zeal and dedication" in ensuring justice for the poor and underprivileged sections of society.

"Phenomenal work is being done under his leadership for development of the country.
"This is the golden era for Indian economy. It is the government's policy to empower the poor, farmers and youth," said Paswan.
Social welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojna have ushered in a change in the life of the common man, Paswan said.
Modi has done a lot to keep the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar alive, said Paswan, whose party is a constituent of the BJP-led government at the Centre.
"Modi ji travelled to Ambedkar's birthplace, Mhow, in Madhya Pradesh. He is the only PM to sanction a budget of Rs 200 crore for the development of Mhow," Paswan said.

The minister also recalled that in October 2015, Modi visited Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai to pay respects to Ambedkar and lay foundation stone for a memorial in his name.
In March, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Ambedkar National Memorial, to be built at 26, Alipur Road in Delhi, the place of Mahaparinirvan (death) of Ambedkar, Paswan said.