Consumer protection in India: empowering consumer

An effective, efficient and fair implementation of the consumer protection Act is sine qua non for promoting the culture of good governance and thereby ensuring the better promotion and protection of the rights of the consumers. If the rights of the consumers in relation to the quality of goods and services are assured and taken care of then there will be no cause for complaints. This situation would certainly create an atmosphere wherein the clients, customers and consumers would feel satisfied with the things needed most to them. It is also equally necessary for the consumer of goods/services to be aware of the mechanisms available for redressal in case of grievances. Consumer redressal has also been built into the Consumer Protection Act. There are various fora like the lokadalats, district consumer forum, state consumer forum and the National consumer Disputes Redressal Authority where aggrieved consumers can apply for redressal of grievances. While the government has been initiating various schemes and programmes for the protection of the consumer, it is necessary that the consumer takes the onus to make use of all the protection mechanisms and asserts some self-care in buying goods/ availing of services. It is only by exercising their rights that the consumer can be in the driving seat.