The newly created Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has so far issued 77 show cause notices to companies on violations relating to Packaged Commodity Rules, including provisions of Country of Origin, Consumer Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

While five companies have compounded these offences, other complaints are under various stages of action, the Ministry added

Addressing mediapersons, Minister of Consumer Affairs & Food and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal said, “The Central Consumer Protection Authority has been created for regulating matters of rights of consumers, prevention of unfair trade practices and any false or misleading ads. We are also ensuring that the provisions of legal metrology rules particularly regarding the country of origin are being followed.”

Stating that the Consumer Protection Act 2019 which came into effect from July 20, 2020 significantly strengthens the rights of consumers by simplifying complaint filing, dispute adjudication and alternate dispute resolution mechanism. It “ also has provisions for strict action on sale of adulterated and spurious goods and regulation of unfair trade practices in e-commerce.”

Food grain procurement

Procurement of food grains at support prices, Goyal said that in FY 2020-21, procurement of wheat worth ₹ 75,000 crore so far has benefitted 43.46 lakh farmers and paddy procurement of ₹1.72-lakh crore has been completed. This is an all-time high, he said.

Replying to a query on sugarcane dues for farmers, Goyal said budgetary allocation for the sugar sector has been increased significantly to ₹6,641 crore and ₹3,600 crore has been set aside for sugar export subsidy. This will be directly transferred to the accounts of sugarcane farmers towards cane payment due from the mills. He added that dues of sugarcane farmers up to last year have been paid and that dues of the last 2-3 months should also get cleared shortly as exports pick up.

One ration card

As many as 32 States and Union Territories have implemented the One Nation One Ration Card scheme and the Ministry expects the remaining four States/UTs — Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and West bengal — to implement them within the current financial year.

The Ministry also pointed out that the budgetary allocation towards food subsidy for Food Corporation of India has been increased four times to ₹2.66-lakh crore to reduce the interest burden and enhance liquidity. The Ministry has also sought recommendations from the Centre for Good Governance in Hyderabad to develop a roadmap to improve FCI’s efficiency. “ We are working closely with FCI, food procurement and distribution department, State governments and Indian Railways to identify locations to expand storage capacity with modern standards,” he added.

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