National Consumer Day

24th December 1986: National Consumer Day

Every year the 24th of December is observed as “National Consumer Day” and the significance of this day is that on 24th December in the year 1986, the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, had received the assent of the President of India. 

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 is considered to be a historic milestone in the consumer movement in the country. Every year the observance of this day provides an opportunity for highlighting the importance of the consumer movement and the need to make the consumer more aware of their rights and responsibilities. 

The awareness of consumer rights and duties is more important in rural areas and the responsibility of this rests with all of us, and more particularly with the government agencies. The state government has to play a vital role in promoting the welfare of consumers and protection of their rights. As a week-long observance of National Consumer Day, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation(NVCO) launched a consumer awareness campaign on 18th Dec and highlighting the problems faced by the consumers in the state such as the short supply of LPG cooking gas, just for fund-raise selling lottery tickets/raffle draw, etc., the illegal collection of cash at Nagaland Police check-gates and on highways which contributes to price-rise in the market, backdoor appointments, corruption in different ways including spending crores of rupees under various names of works without executing the projects especially Special Development Programme (SDP), bad roads, deficiency services, unfair means of practices by the butchers, human rights violation, selling expiry goods, food safety, food security, removal of an original price tag like motor parts, etc. and all these wrongdoings are amounting to consumer rights exploitation. 

On this “National Consumer Day”, the president of NVCO & National First Prize Award recipient Kezhokhoto Savi wishes every consumer ‘Good Day’ with an appeal to remain alert while buying goods and availing services at all times remembering the great slogan “An alert consumer is an asset to the Nation”. Savi in his message on the National Consumer Day which falls on Dec 24 assured the citizens to continue their fight against consumers’ rights exploitation and to work for the welfare of the consumers and it is all set to reach out the rights of consumers to every nook and corner in the state to promote and protect consumers rights in the state. Savi stated that every consumer should take proper care to check weights and to read and understand the information provided on the goods. Obtain cash memo/ receipt. Check the quality and quantity, ISI mark, AGMARK, MRP, etc. The NVCO as well as the department.