Lok Sabha Question No. 6239 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-12
Subject: Infrastructure in Consumer Courts
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †6239

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 12 TH  APRIL, 2017

## Infrastructure in Consumer Courts

†6239. Shri Devji M. Patel:

Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is heavy shortage of space, building, staff and other facilities in consumer courts of the country, State-wise including Rajasthan;
- (b) if so, the details of vacant posts, State-wise;
- (c)  the  steps  taken  to  appoint  staff  on  vacant  posts  and  improve  working
- conditions of the staff; and
- (d)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  proper  and  full  implementation  of consumer protection act in the country including Rajasthan?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a)  &  (b):    As  per  the  provisions  of  the  Consumer  Protection  Act,  1986,  it  is  the responsibility of the State Government / UTs to establish consumer fora in the States / UTs  by  building infrastructure  and  providing  manpower.    However,  the  Central Government provides financial assistance to the States / UTs for building infrastructure. As  regards  National  Consumer  Disputes  Redressal  Commission  (NCDRC), Central Government  provides  the  building  infrastructure,  manpower etc .    There  are  two vacancies  and  five  anticipated  vacancies  to  the  posts  of  Members  in  NCDRC.    The details  of  vacant  posts  in  the  Consumer  fora  are  given  in  a  Statement  at Annexure . There is no pending proposal for grant of funds in respect of the State of Rajasthan. During  the  12 th plan  period,  a  sum  of  Rs.740.04  lakh  and  Rs.68.86  lakh  have  been released  under  the  Scheme  'Strengthening  of  Consumer  Fora  Phase  II'  and  'State Consumer Helpline' respectively.

(c):  The  State  Governments  /  UTs  are  liable  to  fill  up  the  vacancies  of  staff  and members of the State Commissions and District Fora.  They are advised from time to time to fill up the vacancies.

(d)  :  Financial  assistance  are  given  to the  State  Governments  /  UTs  for  building infrastructure etc .    Regional  and  National  Conferences  are  held  from  time  to  time  to sensitize  the  State  Governments /  UTs  to  implement the  provisions  of  the  Consumer Protection Act, 1986 effectively.  Financial assistance is also provided to set up and run State  Consumer  Helpline  to  aid  and  advise  the  consumers  so  as  to  avail  of  the consumer grievance redressal mechanism.  The National Consumer Helpline has been strengthened to allow more consumers to lodge their grievances on line.

**********

## Annexure

## Statement referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 6239 for reply on 12.04.2017 Vacancy Position in National Commission, State Commission and District Fora

|                     | Sanctioned Strength   | Sanctioned Strength   | Vacancy Status   | Vacancy Status   |
|---------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|------------------|------------------|
| National Commission | President             | Member                | President        | Member           |
|                     | 1                     | 11                    | 0                | 2                |

| Sr.                   | State                 | State Commission    | State Commission    | State Commission   | State Commission   |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|                       |                       | Sanctioned Strength | Sanctioned Strength | Vacancy Status     | Vacancy Status     |
| No.                   |                       | President           | Member              | President          | Member             |
| 1.                    | Assam                 | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 2.                    | Andhra Pradesh        | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 2                  |
| 3.                    | Arunachal Pradesh     | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 4.                    | A & N Island          | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 5.                    | Bihar                 | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 6.                    | Chandigarh            | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 7.                    | Chhattishgarh         | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 8.                    | Daman & Diu           | 0                   | 0                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 9.                    | Dadra & Nagar Haveli  | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 10.                   | Delhi                 | 1                   | 4                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 11.                   | Goa                   | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 12.                   | Gujarat               | 1                   | 5                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 13.                   | Haryana               | 1                   | 4                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 14.                   | Himachal Pradesh      | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 15.                   | Jammu & Kashmir       | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 16.                   | Jharkhand             | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 17.                   | Karnataka             | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 18.                   | Kerala                | 1                   | 4                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 19.                   | Lakshadweep           | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 1                  |
| 20.                   | Madhya Pradesh        | 1                   | 3                   | 0                  | 1                  |
| 21.                   | Maharashtra           | 1                   | 11                  | 0                  | 0                  |
| 22.                   | Manipur               | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 23.                   | Meghalaya             | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 24.                   | Mizoram               | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 1                  |
| 25.                   | Nagaland              | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 26.                   | Odisha                | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 27.                   | Puducherry            | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 28.                   | Punjab                | 1                   | 7                   | 1                  | 0                  |
| 29.                   | Rajasthan             | 1                   | 10                  | 0                  | 4                  |
| 30.                   | Sikkim                | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 31.                   | Tamil Nadu            | 1                   | 4                   | 0                  | 2                  |
| 32                    | Telangana             | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 1                  |
| 33.                   | Tripura               | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 34.                   | Uttar Pradesh         | 1                   | 10                  | 0                  | 0                  |
| 35.                   | Uttarakhand           | 1                   | 2                   | 0                  | 0                  |
| 36. West Bengal Total | 36. West Bengal Total | 35                  | 116                 | 1                  | 12                 |

***************

| Sr. No.               |                       | District Fora       | District Fora       | District Fora   | District Fora   |
|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|                       | State                 | Sanctioned Strength | Sanctioned Strength | Vacancy Status  | Vacancy Status  |
|                       |                       | President           | Member              | President       | Member          |
| 1.                    | Assam                 | 23                  | 46                  | 3               | 8               |
| 2.                    | Andhra Pradesh        | 17                  | 34                  | 2               | 26              |
| 3.                    | Arunachal Pradesh     | 18                  | 36                  | 0               | 11              |
| 4.                    | A & N Island          | 1                   | 2                   | 0               | 0               |
| 5.                    | Bihar                 | 38                  | 76                  | 0               | 21              |
| 6.                    | Chandigarh            | 2                   | 4                   | 0               | 0               |
| 7.                    | Chhattishgarh         | 12                  | 54                  | 1               | 9               |
| 8.                    | Daman & Diu           | 2                   | 4                   | 0               | 2               |
| 9.                    | Dadra & Nagar Haveli  | 1                   | 2                   | 0               | 2               |
| 10.                   | Delhi                 | 10                  | 20                  | 2               | 5               |
| 11.                   | Goa                   | 2                   | 4                   | 0               | 0               |
| 12.                   | Gujarat               | 26                  | 52                  | 6               | 4               |
| 13.                   | Haryana               | 21                  | 42                  | 0               | 7               |
| 14.                   | Himachal Pradesh      | 4                   | 24                  | 0               | 11              |
| 15.                   | Jammu & Kashmir       | 2                   | 4                   | 0               | 0               |
| 16.                   | Jharkhand             | 22                  | 44                  | 1               | 8               |
| 17.                   | Karnataka             | 31                  | 62                  | 4               | 16              |
| 18.                   | Kerala                | 14                  | 26                  | 1               | 1               |
| 19.                   | Lakshadweep           | 1                   | 2                   | 0               | 1               |
| 20.                   | Madhya Pradesh        | 24                  | 108                 | 0               | 44              |
| 21.                   | Maharashtra           | 40                  | 80                  | 8               | 8               |
| 22.                   | Manipur               | 3                   | 6                   | 0               | 0               |
| 23.                   | Meghalaya             | 7                   | 14                  | 0               | 2               |
| 24.                   | Mizoram               | 8                   | 16                  | 0               | 3               |
| 25.                   | Nagaland              | 11                  | 22                  | 0               | 15              |
| 26.                   | Odisha                | 31                  | 62                  | 0               | 0               |
| 27.                   | Puducherry            | 1                   | 2                   | 0               | 0               |
| 28.                   | Punjab                | 20                  | 40                  | 9               | 11              |
| 29.                   | Rajasthan             | 37                  | 74                  | 10              | 18              |
| 30.                   | Sikkim                | 4                   | 8                   | 0               | 0               |
| 31.                   | Tamil Nadu            | 25                  | 60                  | 11              | 12              |
| 32                    | Telangana             | 12                  | 24                  | 10              | 20              |
| 33.                   | Tripura               | 4                   | 8                   | 0               | 0               |
| 34.                   | Uttar Pradesh         | 79                  | 158                 | 9               | 15              |
| 35.                   | Uttarakhand           | 13                  | 26                  | 0               | 3               |
| 36. West Bengal Total | 36. West Bengal Total | 587                 | 1288                | 79              | 290             |