Stimulate consumer demand to tackle economic crisis: President

New Delhi, May 27 (PTI) Indian President Pratibha Patil
Wednesday said stimulating consumer demand and creating
confidence in institutions and markets can help tackle the
present downward trend in the global economy.

"Stimulating consumer demand and creating confidence in
institutions and markets is one of the focal areas for
tackling the situation. This requires products that meet
standards of quality and services that have an assurance of
safety," Patil said after inaugurating a meet of the Committee
on Consumer Policy, an ISO body, here in the national capital.

Highlighting that the impact of the financial meltdown on
India has been less because of strong domestic consumer
demand, the President said, "... for us consumer protection is
of great significance both as part of a sound business
approach as well as for achieving the broader goal of national
economic growth."

Stressing on evolving a network of institutions to
safeguard interest of consumers, Patil said, "A legal system
and a strong dispute redressal mechanism must also be in
place. This can make consumer protection effective and
meaningful, nationally and internationally."

"We have a Consumer Protection Act at the national, state
and district levels. These courts have delivered landmark
judgments in many spheres and have been a constant source of
hope to consumers," the President said.

The President said standards play a key role in consumer
protection and consumer organisations need to play a more
meaningful role for developing standards both at national and
international levels.

"In a globalised world, companies are producing the same
product in more than one country or have a process of
production, where various components are produced in different
countries and, thereafter, these parts are assembled in a
country not involved in the manufacturing of parts," Patil
said.

"In such a scenario, countries should look at a
coordinated approach to meet the needs of consumers
satisfactorily by developing standards that take into account
their concerns," Patil said, adding that a common set of
accepted standards between countries to promote international
trade will avoid unnecessary trade disputes.

Patil said that guidelines developed by the Committee on
Consumer Policies (Copolco), one of the important bodies of
International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) should be
used by countries to disseminate the information and thus
empower the consumers.

Speaking on the occasion, Consumer Affairs and Food
Minister Sharad Pawar said that health regulation is now seen
as an integral part of the recovery process in the wake of the
global economic crisis.

"This understanding also recognises that interests of
both consumers and business have to be reconciled in a
mutually reinforcing framework," Pawar said.

High standards of manufacturing and service delivery help
the country become more competitive, apart from benefiting the
consumers. "Therefore, consumer protection and emphasis on
quality and standards are an integral part of any development
strategy," he noted. PTI