Year-End- Review of Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution– 2021

What is the News?

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has taken various steps in the year 2021.

Measures taken by Min of Consumer Affairs

Price Monitor Cell: It monitors wholesale and retail prices of 22 essential commodities (Rice, Wheat, Atta, Gram Dal, Tur Dal etc)

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 

Bureau of Indian Standards

South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO): It is a Specialized Body of SAARC. It was established in 2011 to achieve and enhance coordination and cooperation among SAARC Member states in the fields of standardization and conformity assessment. It is having its Secretariat at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Product Certification Scheme: BIS operates a Product Certification Scheme under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. The certification scheme is voluntary in nature, except for products that have been made compulsory by the Central Government on various considerations.

Mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery/artefacts

BIS CARE mobile app: It facilitates stakeholders to verify authenticity of ISI mark, Registered Jewellers and marked electronic goods under Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS).The app also facilitates users in submitting complaints. Feature for ‘Know Your Standards’ and finding laboratories empaneled/recognized by BIS have also been added.

Conformity Assessment Portal: It enables domestic manufacturers to apply for grant of licence for use of Standard Mark (ISI) on their products, renewal of such licences, payment of fees among others.

Laboratory Information Management Software (LIMS): BIS has developed the LIMS application for complete digitization, automation and efficient operation of its own and recognized laboratories. 

Amendments to Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011

World Consumer Rights Day: It has been celebrated on the 15th March with the theme Tackling Plastic Pollution.

National Consumer Day: It was celebrated on 24th December with the theme of National Consumer Day was Consumer: Know your rights.

Source: This post is based on the article ‘Year-End- Review of Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution– 2021’ published in PIB on 8^th Jan 2022.