Addressing a program organized to market World Consumers Rights Day in the capital on Friday, Narayan Prasad Bidari, director general of Department of Commerce and Supply Management (DoCSM) said ´Consumer Justice Now´ - the slogan for this year - can be materialized only if consumers are aware about their rights. [break]“We have been effectively carrying out market monitoring activities to ensure that consumers are not cheated. It will be difficult to control market anomalies unless consumers themselves are aware of their rights,” added Bidari.
Lal Mani Joshi, secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies, said the department has been failing to give justice to consumers as it cannot punish wrongdoers on its own.
According to officials, fixing maximum retail price (MRP) of food commodities, preparation of guidelines for market monitoring, and appointment of market monitoring officers in 20 districts are some of the works carried out by DoCSM this year to end market anomalies.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Lila Mani Paudel said consumers rights cannot be upheld unless market cartels and syndicate system are uprooted.
On the occasion, Paudel also released the second quarterly report published by DoCSM.
According to the report, a total of 961 business firms were monitored till the second quarter of the current fiscal year. Of them, DoCSM scrapped business license of 22 business firms. Similarly, it has filed five cases against unscrupulous traders.
During the program, DoCSM also felicitated consumer right activists and media persons.
DoCSM to start e-Governance Service System
DoCSM is preparing to implement e-Governance Service System and online registration and licensing system that will ease registration of new businesses.
Bidari said the new system will make its service delivery convenient, efficient and transparent.
“Once the system goes live, consumers will not have to face hassles while registering their businesses or renewing their licenses,” added Bidari.
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