Consumer Rights Day: Theme, Significance Of 'Jago Grahak Jago' Campaign

Today is World Consumer Rights Day. The day is marked every year on March 15. We use the word 'consumer' so often but do we know 'who is a consumer' and 'what are his/her rights and duties'. A consumer is a person or a body who buys or wants to buy goods, products and services mainly for personal, household or social use. On World Consumer Rights Day, let us know how the day started, what are the activities, the theme and steps the Consumer Affairs Ministry has taken for creating awareness among the grahak or consumer, both in terms of rights and duties. The campaign, 'Jago Grahak Jago' means 'wake up consumer, be aware'. It is a consumer awareness programme that was started by the Department of Consumer Affairs, to create consumer awareness through adverts, audio-visual campaigns and consumer education.    

Theme of National Consumer Rights Day 2021

This year the theme of National Consumer Rights Day is "Tackling Plastic Pollution". The aim is to promote sustainable practises for clean surroundings and respectings rights of consumers or the grakak. The Consumer Rights ministry is already running a 'Jago Grahak Jago' campaign. "The campaign will raise awareness and engage consumers to globally adopt more sustainable practises...," tweeted the Consumer Affairs Ministry.

History of the World Consumer Rights Day

The World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by former President of United States John F Kennedy. He had sent a special message to the US Congress on 15th March 1962, in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights. He was the first world leader to do so. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now uses the day every year to mobilise action on important consumers' issues and campaigns.

'Jago Grahak Jago' Campaign

On Jago Grahak Jago' campaign, Raosaheb Patil Danve, the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs tweeted: "This World Consumer Rights Day, let us take a pledge to stop buying plastic based goods to tackle plastic pollution." 

'Jago Grahak Jago': Know the basic rights of consumers

• "The right to be protected from all kind of hazardous goods and services"
• "The right to be fully informed about the performance and quality of all goods and services"
• "The right to free choice of goods and services"
• "The right to be heard in all decision-making processes related to consumer interests"
• "The right to seek redressal, whenever consumer rights have been infringed"
• "The right to complete consumer education"

(Source: jagograhakjago.com)