Consumer policy expert urges Odisha to frame legislation

Advocating a robust regulatory framework for the protection of genuine direct selling companies, noted consumer policy expert Bejon Misra today asked the Odisha government to frame a legislation.
A member of the first constituted central Consumer Protection Council, member of Food Safety & Standards authority of India (in 2008) and Quality Council of India, Misra had recently been inducted into the national Task Force on Direct Selling by FICCI as an advisor.
In that capacity, Misra has been advocating the need of direct selling across states including Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam.
"We submitted a memorandum to the Odisha government urging it to have a separate legislation to deal exclusively with direct selling companies," said Misra, who was here to attend a function.

"There is an urgent need to protect direct selling industry especially in a state like Odisha which is the highest growing state in the country in direct selling," he said.
They are able to find a gainful employment out of accessing good quality products, they are also being able to get into an engagement or fruitful employment and making them an entrepreneur, Misra said.

There are 20 Direct selling companies like Amway, Avon, Oriflame who are members of direct selling association in India, he said.
Stating that 60 per cent of direct selling people are women, the advisor to FICCI Direct Selling Task Force said, "Direct selling provides employment opportunity to 14 million to people in India in the organized sector only. In the unorganised sector it could be 5 million or 10 million people employed and 3000 direct selling companies who are operating across the country."

Rajat Banerjee, Co-Chair, FICCI National Task Force on Direct Selling, said: "As per National industry classification, it is classified as internal trade and internal trade is a state subject. Therefore we are talking to states. Legislation will help distinguish genuine companies from fake companies and also protect consumers.