Consumer's Protection Policy in the offing

KATHMANDU, Jan 7:

The government is all set to introduce Consumer´s Protection Policy 2014 for better protection of consumer rights.

According to officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS), the draft of the policy has already been prepared.

The ministry is currently holding discussion with concerned stakeholders on the draft. They said the ministry will forward the draft to the cabinet for endorsement after incorporating inputs given by the stakeholders.

Deepak Subedi, spokesperson at MoCS, said it will take about two weeks to give the draft a final shape. “We will then forward it to the cabinet for approval. Hopefully, it will be endorsed within February,” added Subedi.

The draft policy envisages forming Department of Consumer Protection and Supply Management (DoCPSM). As per the draft, a Consumer Protection Trust (CPT) will be set up in the capital to deal with issues related to consumer´s right and ensure effective supply of food commodities in the market.

According to Subedi, DoCPSM will primarily focus on issues related to consumer rights and supply of goods. “The existing department will be named Department of Commerce and it will look after all works being overseen by DoCSM except the supply management part,” he added.

According to officials, the CPT will launch consumer awareness and allocate funds for such programs. Its budget will comprise of seed money provided by the government, certain percent of import duty mobilized by the government, as well as other fine and penalty paid by unscrupulous traders.

The proposed policy envisages forming Consumer Protection Council (CPC) - headed by the Prime Ministry -- which will suggest the government on rules, regulations and policies on consumer rights and supply management.

Meanwhile, the draft has different provisions on market monitoring as well. The draft envisages forming consumer courts in all the districts to deal with cases related to consumers. Similarly, a central market monitoring team headed by director general of DoC will be formed at the earliest to conduct market monitoring.

“The concept of central market monitoring team and consumer court will certainly enhance the existing market monitoring system,” Hari Narayan Belbase, director at DoCSM, says. He further said market inspectors will have the authority to take on the spot action against unscrupulous traders once the policy is issued.

Jyoti Baniya, general secretary of Forum for the Protection of Consumers´ Rights Nepal, said the implementation part would be the key. “The government is finally preparing to address the demands which we had been raising for the past many years,” Baniya said, urging the government to issue the policy at the earliest.

Source: Republica