Pitching for a separate consumer affairs department in all states, Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today asked them to provide accurate price information all seven days of a week by improving the price monitoring cell at the local level.
"We have asked the state governments to give accurate reports...We have asked the state governments to send correct reports so that we get correct information," Paswan said.
Noting that on Saturdays and Sundays the states are not replying, he said they have been told to make sure that the Centre gets reports of all seven days correctly so that the interest of consumer is protected.
The states have also been told that there should be separate consumer affairs department and "we will write to state governments about this," The Minister said.
Paswan was speaking to reporters after holding the consultation meeting of the southern region organised by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, with the purpose of enhancing the consumer advocacy efforts and issues related to consumer affairs.
On the Centre seeking accurate reports from states, G Gurucharan, Special Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs said that at the national level there is price monitoring cell which obtains daily reports on 22 different essential commodities from 85 centers across the country and state governments have the responsibility of sending information on a daily basis.
He said "two decisions have been taken, one is the state government should pay greater attention to sending accurate price information for these 22 commodities; second decision is they are sending us information only for five days in a week now, Saturday and Sunday also they should send information."
"At the state level if they need any infrastructure or training support, central government will provide full technical and administrative support to improve the price monitoring cell at the state level," he said.
Paswan said he has suggested that the private companies should set aside part of their corporate socialresponsibility funds for awareness among consumers.
Gurucharan said "every industry is required to spend part of its resources under CSR, now the minister has urged the industry to develop government-industry partnership through which money will also be spend under CSR for consumer awareness."
The details about this will be announced on March 15 which is World Consumer Day, he said.
