Significance of the Consumer Protection Organization
Consumer organizations are the focused group that seek to protect people from the corporate abuse led by the business owners - like unsafe products, predatory lending, false advertising and pollution to the environment. Consumer Organizations may even operate through the protests.
Today, consumer organisations are playing a dominating role in engaging the consumers to lift their voice against exploitation by the business individual who sells inferior and faulty products. In educational institutions also consumer rights are taught, to prepare the student’s courses of study by keeping in view the interests of the consumers in the society. In our discussion, we are going to know about the consumer protection forums that operate in India.
Consumer Organizations
In the capitalistic system of the Market or economy privatization is the basic mode of production. And consumers remain as individuals responsible for their choice of products. With the growing times, these manufacturing companies become big organized houses having a considerable command over all the products available in the market. Unlike entities controlled by the democratic or other forms of government the motive of such private enterprises is only to make a profit. So there have been instances of manipulation and adulteration of products as an insincere way of earning money. Or sometimes they indulge in the methods of dissemination of misinformation to a consumer and exploit them for their hard-earned money. This is more common in scenarios where products are services provided by any privately-owned companies. In such settings, victims often find themselves helpless against such business entities for the reclamation of their lost money or remediation of their misery. By the late 19th century various movements started to emerge for the protection of consumers from giant corporate houses. These movements translate into Consumer Organizations all over the world. Such groups were meant to be the voice of general consumers getting abused of any kind. They often take the course of litigation, protest, campaign or other means of peaceful actions.
In India, there are also many Consumer Organizations working for the cause of customers getting abused by manufacturers or service providers. To give an illustration the names of organizations are Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat, Consumer Guidance Society of India, All India Consumer Protection Organization, The Consumers Eye India, United India Consumer’s Association, Grahak Shakti, Coordinated Action of Consumer & Voluntary Organizations, Consortium of South India Consumer Organizations (COSICO), Consumer Awareness, Protection and Education Council (Cape Council), Consortium of South India Consumer Organizations (COSICO). The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, has also started a consumer awareness program called 'Jago Grahak Jago'.
These Non-governmental Organizations are also always active by collecting data and survey reports of the product tests and for the user experience of various products and services. The information gathered helps them to find any corrupt practices in the market and generate awareness about the same.
FAQs on Consumer Organizations and NGOs: Roles and Examples
1. Why are the Consumers Protection Organizations Referred to as the Advocacy Group?
The organizations serve the consumers in lodging complaints against any adulterated products served by any business houses, or any exploitation faced by them at the hands of the big corporate houses. The consumer protection organizations thus help the consumers by advocating on their complaints and eventually getting the rights protected by the fellow consumers.
2. Why are Consumer Protection Organizations Called ‘Watch Dogs’?
The consumer protection organization remains vigilant to the outcries of the consumers for the abuse done by the business houses. They remain alert by testing and taking notice of the sample of goods and services served by the industries. They act as the watchdogs who are in constant alert about any adulterated news and non-promising advertising hoardings.
3. What is Meant by Consumer Awareness?
Consumer awareness means being conscious of having the right knowledge about the consumer laws and rights that prevail in the country, redress mechanism system and the consumer rights which manifests right to protection of health and safety from goods and services which the consumer buy, they have the right to be informed about the quality, price, potency and purity.
4. Who Launched “Jago Grahak Jago”?
Jago Grahak Jago which means - Wake Up, Customer! is a consumer awareness program that was launched by the Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer and Public Distributions by the Government of India.
5. What is the aim of the Consumer Protection Organizations?
These Advocacy Groups are a type of Non-government organization that works for the protection of the general mass from the adulteration and fraudulent behaviour of any goods and services provided. They aim to increase awareness about the laws and regulations formulated by the government of any country for the protection of consumer rights. They also provide for the illiterate and ignorant victims to fight against the powerful business bodies. The method of working of such types of organizations is always according to the legally accepted norms and is peaceful.
6. How can I get help from any Consumer Protection Organizations?
Any organization constructed following the general rule of law has a very well defined area of activity and working process. The persons seeking the help of any consumer protection organization have to inform the authorities of that particular organization via any medium of communication such as email or post. Then the volunteers will contact the victim to get details about the mishap. With the help of Lawyers and competent persons they decide and structure the course of action to be taken to win the litigation or demand compensation for the victim.
7. Why can't any individual litigate and fight against the company or seller of any product on his own.
There are already provisions and procedures for any citizen or individual to litigate against the corporate entities or other business organizations. But often these Companies possess far more resources and organizational power over any common individual in terms of getting access to the judiciary system of the country. Moreover, these businesses manage to build powerful lobbies and can influence the political dimensions of the case. In such situations, it becomes difficult for a common man to get justice. But if consumers can gather together with a common cause then can concentrate their resources and gain higher credibility for the case.
8. Where can I obtain all the information about the Consumer Protection Organisation?
With the increase in consumerism and improvement in governance many consumer protection organizations have emerged in every country. In India, several non-governmental agencies are legally registered and fully authorized to act on behalf of the greater public. Anybody can find about these organizations and their benefits on their official websites respectively. Vedantu also provides a lot of information on this topic on its online course website. You can enrol yourself and start learning by just registering yourself with some basic details.
9. Who can register on the Vedantu website?
The online courses of Vedantu provide all types of assistance for students doing self-studies remaining at home. The classes provided on the website are strictly according to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Indian Council of Secondary Education (ICSE). It helps students to prepare for their term exams and get success in various competitive exams. Other than that anybody can avail of the resources provided on this in PDF format which is also free of cost. It is very easy to register on the Vedantu.
