Government on consumer protection drive

The ministry of consume affairs has started an intensive multi-media campaign in 2009 to generate consumer awareness across the country.

Advertisements were released to more than 400 newspapers, including national as well as regional dailies through DAVP. Apart from the issues such as ISI, Hallmark, labelling, MRP, weights and measures etc, a major.

initiative has been taken to focus on new and emerging areas such as telecom, real estate, credit cards, financial products, pharmaceuticals, BEE etc.

Around 30 major issues were taken up as part of the print advertisements and more than 12,000 insertions were given in the newspapers.

The department has produced video spots of 30 seconds duration on various consumer related issues for telecast through Doordarshan and satellite channels. Special programmes have been telecast on Lok Sabha TV also to highlight the issues relating to consumer awareness. Issues
pertaining to rural and remote areas have been given prominence in the various advertisement spots.

Video spots produced in regional languages of North Eastern states on various consumer related issues were telecast through Doordarshan kendras in these states to ensure that the message reaches out in the local language.

The department, in consultation with the department of post has disseminated consumer awareness messages through Meghdoot Post cards to reach far-flung rural areas, including North East states. Calendars displaying messages on the various issues relevant to consumers were displayed in the network of more than 1.55 lakh post offices throughout the country. Similar initiative was also been taken for displaying posters on consumer awareness in the network of more than 25,000 post offices in the urban areas.

Publicity was also mounted on various issues of consumer interest such as real estate, education, medicines, banking sector, telecommunication etc through the outdoor publicity mediums such as banners, hoardings etc. An innovative way of publicity was found out by printing of messages on railway tickets as well as utility bills such as electricity bills and also by printing of messages on railway reservation charts. This publicity was carried not only in Hindi and English languages but also in almost in all the regional languages so as to reach out to all consumers in their respective languages.