Highest State Consumer Protection Award For CERS

Ref.: ER/Press/’06/Award_42.p65

The Government of Gujarat conferred the State Consumer Protection Award for 2005-2006 on Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad, at a function at Surat on Sunday (24 December 2006), organised to celebrate National Consumer Rights Day. CERS has won this award consecutively for the second time for its praiseworthy performance and unique contribution in the field of consumer protection. The award comprises a certificate, a trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.

The President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mr. Justice M. B. Shah, addressed the seminar saying that consumer-related Acts exist aplenty but it is important for responsible authorities to bring them in use and implement them. He requested the Government to take deep interest in this and urged the consumer groups to join hands with the Government in making this task a success.

Inaugurating the function, the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Gujarat, Mr. Chhatra Singh Mori, informed the gathering that the Government has ensured that consumers get justice without delay. Promoting consumer welfare activities, this year the Government has announced second and third prizes (and also cash prizes). The second prize was awarded to the Grahak Hit Suraksha Mandal, Kodinar, and the third prize jointly to the Jagrut Grahak, Vadodara, and the Rajkot Shaher Zilla Grahak Suraksha Mandal. In addition to the 22 consumer courts existing in the State, he added, a proposal for having additional courts in major cities in Gujarat by 2006-2007 has been on the anvil.

The President of the Gujarat State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Mr. Justice M. G. Nandi, explained the consumer grievance redressal mechanism. Mr. S. K. Nanda, IAS, Principal Secretary, Consumer Affairs Department, Government of Gujarat, gave a brief idea about the activities carried out for consumer welfare and alerted consumers not to fall prey to sundry discount offers by department stores. The Mayor of Surat, Mr. Kanubhai Mayani, and the Director of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) also addressed the gathering.

Date : 06/11/2006                                    Pritee Shah
Place: Ahmedabad                                    Editor                                                                                                                       Insight-The Consumer Magazine