Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Consumer Protection Act (CPA) are going to be strengthened by the Centre in the light of latest Maggi incident. According to Union Minister of Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan, the Centre has already opened a front against adulteration of food throughout the country as it was done to check corruption.
“Under the ‘Make in India’ programme, we are going to strengthen the BIS fixing a standard of everything. We have even started tightening the noose and a ban on Maggi is the recent example where the product was banned as soon as the matter was put into our notice after getting an approval from Food Safety and Standards Authority,” said Paswan, while talking to the mediapersons in Ranchi during his two-day visit to Jharkhand on Sunday. Under the CPA, now a consumer can also register complaint through his mobile phone.
Meanwhile, a Central Consumer Protection Authority has also been instructed to investigate the unfair trade practices, initiate action, order recall and replacement of defective products. “The authority will be able to take suo-motto cognizance as soon as the matter is put into its notice through various sources,” said Paswan.
The modifications would be tabled in Parliament after taking an approval from the Cabinet so that it could be made implemented and made functional soon, the Minister said. The States across the country, he said, have also been directed to re-organise the consumer courts where it still lacks proper infrastructure. “We want to strengthen it at all the three levels - District Forum, State Commission and National Commission,” added the Minister.
Referring to the misleading advertisements, Paswan said that directions have been given to the concerned authorities to keep tabs on it so that the poor people do not get fooled by the companies. “Celebrities doing these advertisements must also avoid making any fake promises to the people; speaking only those contents which are written on the product,” said Paswan.
While talking about the Food Security Act, Paswan said that it is likely to be delayed as the process is yet to be completed in some parts of the State. “Food and Public Distribution Minister Saryu Roy had demanded to implement Food Security Act in the eight districts from July 1, but we have our own limitations. I have asked my officials to look into it whether we can do anything in this regard,” said Paswan. He, however, hinted that Jharkhand being a Naxal hit state could be considered as a special case.
According to the Minister, the process has been completed in eight districts of Jharkhand, while in the remaining 16 districts it is likely to be completed by August 31.
Counting on the achievements of the one year of the Modi Government at the Centre, Paswan said, “This Government has done so much in the last one year, which could not be done in the last 68 years after the Independence. The Indo-Bangladesh border dispute, which could not be solved by the earlier Governments in the last 41 years, was solved by PM Modi within few hours. I congratulate him for this,” said the Minister.
Paswan also lauded the Raghubar Das Government in Jharkhand for the measures taken by it to strengthen its fight against corruption and the state which was known as a land of scams, has completely been made corruption free.