5.3 ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS :
1. What are the various ways by which people may be exploited in the market ?
Ans: Exploitation in the market place happens in the various ways .
i) Shopkeepers may weight less .
ii) Traders may add charges that were not mentioned before .
iii) Shopkeepers sell adulterated or defective goods .
2. What factors gave birth to the consumer movement in India ?
Ans:
i) The consumer movement arose out of dissatisfaction of the consumers as many unfair practices were being indulged in by the sellers .
ii) There was no legal system available to consumers to protect them from exploitation in the market place .
iii) Rampant food shortages , hoarding , black marketing , adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to consumer movement .
3. Why is it necessary to display certain details on the packing of the commodity ?
Ans:
i) The manufacturer has to display details about price , ingredients used , date of manufacturing etc on the packing of each commodity .
ii) It is because of the consumers have the right to be informed about the particulars of goods and services that they purchase .
iii) Consumers can then complain and ask for compensation or replacement if the product proves to be defective .
4. What are the functions of the consumer forums or consumer protection councils ?
Ans:
i) The consumer forums or the consumer protection councils guide consumers on how to file cases in the consumer court .
ii) In many cases they can represent individual consumers in the consumer courts .
iii) They receive financial support from the government for creating awareness among the people .
5. Why is there a need for consumer consciousness ?
Ans:
i) When the consumer become conscious of his rights , he will be able to make informed choices .
ii) A well informed consumers can complain and ask for replacement if the product proves to be defective .
iii) If the seller or manufacturer refuses to do so , he may approach the consumer court .
6. What are the steps taken by the government for the awareness of the consumers under COPRA ?
Ans:
i) COPRA has led to the setting up of separate departments of Consumer Affairs in central and state governments .
ii) Government spreads information about legal processes which people can use through posters .
iii) Government gives advertisements on radio and television for the awareness of the consumers .
7. What are the drawbacks of the consumer redressal process ?
Ans:
i) The consumer redressal process is becoming cumbersome , expensive and time consuming .
ii) In most purchases cash memos are not issued hence evidences are not easy to gather .
iii) The existing laws are not very clear on the issue of compensation to consumers injured by defective products .
8. What legal measures were taken by the government to empower the consumers in India ? OR How has the COPRA enabled the consumers to have the right to represent in the consumer courts ?
Ans:
i) Under COPRA , a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery at the district , state and national levels was set up for redressal of the consumer disputes .
ii) The district level court deals with the cases involving the claims upto Rs.20 lakhs , the state level courts between Rs. 20 lakhs and Rs. 1 crore and the national level court exceeding Rs. 1 crore .
iii) If a case is dismissed in district level court , the consumer can also appeal in state and then in national level courts .
9. Why are rules and regulations required in the market place ?
Ans:
i) Individual consumers often find themselves in a weak position . The seller tries to shift all the responsibility on the buyer .
ii) Exploitation in the market place is common .
iii) Sometimes traders indulge in unfair activities . E.g. Traders sell adulterated or defective goods .
iv) Markets do not work in a fair manner when producers are few and powerful whereas consumers purchase in small amount and are scattered .
10. Why did the government of India enact the Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) in 1986 ?
Ans:
i) In India , the consumer movement originated for protecting and promoting the interest of the consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices .
ii) Rampant food shortages , hoarding , black marketing , adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to consumer movement .
iii) India witnessed an upsurge in the number of consumer groups .
11. Why did the consumer movement originate as a social force in India ?
Ans:
i) The consumer movement originated as a social force to protect and promote the interest of the consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices .
ii) Rampant food shortages , hoarding , black marketing , adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in an organised form in the 1960s .
12. Why do we find bad quality products in the market where special attention to safety is required ?
Ans:
i) Producers need to strictly follow the required safety rules and regulations .
ii) We need public or government action to see that this quality is maintained .
iii) We find bad quality products in the market because the supervision of these rules is weak and the consumer movement is not strong enough .
13. How do Consumer Forums guide the consumer ?
Ans: They guide consumers on how to file cases in the consumer court .
14. What is the advantage of the public distribution system ?
Ans: Public distribution system is expected to prevent hoarding , black marketing , overcharging by traders and ensure food security to the poor .
15. What is the importance of RTI (Right To Information) ?
Ans:
i) Right to information has been expanded to cover various services provided by the government .
ii) RTI ensures its citizens all the information about the functions of government departments .