Times of India, September 16, 2012


Rajasthan is still behind in generating awareness about consumer rights with only 16% respondents stating that they are aware about consumer rights in Rajasthan as compared to total figure of the country (42%), according to a survey conducted by the Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) in partnership with the Centre’s department of consumer affairs.

“Only 20% respondents and only 11% respondents have heard about Consumer Protection Act 1986 at the national level and in Rajasthan respectively. Out of the total sample size, only seven per cent have filed any complaint in any of the external grievance redressed mechanism and out of that only 0.3% has only approached the consumer forums. If this is an indication of people losing faith in the consumer fora at district, state and national levels, due to the inordinate delays, then the trend is very disturbing,” said George Cheriyan, director, CUTS International, sharing the findings of the national consumer field research disseminated among key stakeholders.

The field research covered 88 districts of 19 states and three union territories with a total sample size of 11,499 people (53% male & 47% female) to access the level of consumer awareness and the achievements made by the consumers in India during the past 25 years since Consumer Protection Act 1986 came into force. The respondents belong to diverse education and financial status, rural and urban divide, and literacy rate.

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