The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution is celebrating the National Consumer Day this year with the theme “Alternate Consumer Disputes Redressal” on 24th December, 2016 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
The programme will be inaugurated and presided over by Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and will be attended by Shri C.R Chaudhary, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Members of Parliament, Ministers and Secretaries in charge of Consumer Affairs in the States, Officers in the Central Government, and representatives from Industry and the Voluntary Consumer Organisations.
High on the agenda of the event will be the discussion on the theme Alternative Dispute Resolution, which is already being practiced in resolving civil disputes, and the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 also has a chapter dedicated to mediation, one of the ADR mechanisms. New initiatives of the Department on consumer grievance redressal and consumer education, leveraging new age technologies will be launched.
The National Consumer Day is observed every year on December 24. On this day, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President. The Day is an annual occasion for celebration and solidarity within the national consumer movement and is an opportunity to promote the basic rights of all consumers.