National Co-operative Consumer Federation asked to expend network

The government wants the National Co-operative Consumer Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) to expand its operations countrywide taking advantage of the free and open economic environment.

The idea is for NCCF to assume the role of a facilitator of an expanded public distribution system in the country.

Time is opportune for NCCF to plan new strategies and expand its network, minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution K V Thomas told the annual general meeting of NCCF in New Delhi today.

The minister said consumer cooperatives in India have played an important role in safeguarding the interests of consumers, especially at times of scarcity, when the private trade often fails to render the required services to the consumers.

He said consumer cooperatives were, perhaps, the only answer to protect the interests of consumers during such time.

NCCF, he said, has played a pioneering role in importing pulses and selling them to consumers at subsidised rates. It has also performed direct market intervention by selling wheat, pulses and onion in the retail market to check artificial price rise and to provide relief to consumers.