Govt okays new ‘Consumer Protection Bill’ to safeguard consumers' rights

NewsBharati 21-Dec-2017

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New Delhi, December 21: The Union Cabinet has approved a new Consumer Protection Bill that seeks to establish an authority to safeguard consumers' rights, also has provisions for penalty and jail terms in case of adulteration and misleading advertisements by companies.

As per the new bill, the celebrities endorsing misleading advertisements will also be liable for fine and ban of up to three years. The introduction of the Consumer Protection Bill, 2017, which was approved by the Cabinet yesterday, will result in the withdrawal of a bill brought in 2015.

In August 2015, the Centre had introduced the Consumer Protection Bill in the Lok Sabha to repeal the 30-year-old Consumer Protection Act, 1986. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently said that consumer protection is the government's priority.

The Cabinet yesterday also cleared a new skill development scheme covering the entire value chain of the textile sector excluding spinning and weaving. The Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector will have an outlay of 1,300 crore rupees upto 2019-20.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to the extension of term of the Commission to examine the issue of sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes up to the 2nd of April next year. The extension will enable the Commission to submit a comprehensive report on the issue of sub-categorization of OBCs after consultation with various stakeholders.

Consumer Protection Bill Consumer Rights Cabinet Consumer Act