PM Modi bats for consumer protection, stricter guidelines for misleading ads

New Delhi [India], October 26 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that a new consumer protection act was being made and that the guidelines on the misleading ads would be made stricter, adding that the government's priority to consumer protection was in line with the resolve of New India.

"A new consumer protection act is being made, and consumer empowerment will be a major part of it. The guidelines on the misleading ads will be made stricter. The government's priority to consumer protection is in line with our resolve of New India; we'll change it to consumer prosperity on our way ahead," Prime Minister Modi said, at the inauguration of the International Conference on Consumer Protection for East, South and South-East Countries here.

Prime Minister Modi stated that the consumer protection was an integral part of the governance.

The prime minister added, "In our vision for a new India, we want to move ahead from only consumer protection towards best consumer practices and consumer prosperity. The focus is on consumer empowerment and ensuring that the consumer faces no difficulties."

While talking about inflation, he further said that the government's efforts ensured inflation was kept under check and the consumer saved money.

Prime Minister Modi also claimed that due to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the various indirect and hidden taxes ceased to exist and the biggest beneficiaries of this new tax system would be the consumers.

"We have recently implemented the GST. Due to the GST, the various indirect and hidden taxes have ceased to exist. The biggest beneficiaries of the GST will be the consumers, the middle class. The GST will boost the competition between the companies, which will decrease the prices of goods, in turn, benefitting the poor and the middle class consumers," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister further reiterated that the effective grievance redressal systems were vital for a democracy and the Centre was integrating technology and ensuring stronger grievance redressal mechanisms.

The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan and Secretary General, UNCTAD were also present at the event. (ANI)