Lok Sabha Question No. 3275 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-01-01
Subject: Consumer Welfare Fund
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: MOHANBHAI KALYANJIBHAI KUNDARIYA, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav, BHOLA SINGH, ANJU BALA, L.R. Shivaramegowda, V. PANNEER SELVAM

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3275

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.01.2019

## CONSUMER WELFARE FUND

3275.  SHRI  KUNDARIYA  MOHAN  BHAI  KALYANJI  BHAI:  DR.  SUNIL  BALIRAM GAIKWAD:  SHRI  TEJ  PRATAP  SINGH  YADAV:  SHRI  BHOLA  SINGH:  SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI L.R. SHIVARAME GOWDA: SHRI V. PANNEERSELVAM:

## Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the aims and objectives for setting up Consumer Welfare Fund;
- (b) whether the Government has achieved the objective for which the fund has been set up, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to revise the guidelines for Consumer Welfare Fund to suit to the present day requirements, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether any action has been taken against the agencies/organizations availing benefits from consumer welfare fund but not engaging in any activity for consumer welfare during the last three years and the current year, if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (e) whether  the  Government  also  plans  to  set  up  Consumer  Welfare  Funds  at  State  level  to increase the coverage and horizon of disseminating relevant information to the consumers and if so, the details thereof along with the funds allocated/utilized for the said purpose; and
- (f) the details of the other steps taken by the Government to promote and protect the welfare of the consumers by creating awareness and strengthening consumer movements in the country?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a)  to    (c)  : Consumer  Welfare  Fund(CWF)  was  created  in  1992  with  the  objective  of  providing financial assistance to promote and protect the welfare of the consumer, create consumer awareness and  strengthen  consumer  movement  in  the  country,  particularly  in  rural  areas.    The  Consumer Welfare Fund Guidelines was framed in 1993 and revised in 2007 and then in 2014 to suit to the present day requirements.
- (d) : Out of the agencies/organisations funded from Consumer Welfare Fund during the last three years and the current year, no agency/organisation was found which has availed benefits from Consumer Welfare Fund but has not carried out activities for consumer welfare.
- (e) : The Consumer Welfare Fund at the State level is being set up by contribution by the Centre and State in the ratio of 75:25(which is 90:10 in the case of special category States). A total of 14 State Governments have set up their State Consumer Welfare Fund.  The Centre's share released to these States is as per details given at Annexure .
- (f) : To  protect  and  promote  the  interest  of  the  consumers,  the  Department  has  been conducting a countrywide multimedia awareness campaign through Bureau of Outreach  & Communication (BOC), Doordarshan Network (DD), All India Radio (AIR), Lok Sabha TV (LSTV) and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) on various issues related to consumer rights and responsibilities across diverse subjects. To create awareness amongst the people living in rural & backward areas, the Government is also taking part in important fairs/festivals/exhibitions.

ANNEXURE

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3275 FOR 01.01.2019 REGARDING CONSUMER WELFARE FUND.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## Details of amount given as Centre's share to State Governments for setting up of State Consumer Welfare Fund

(Rs. in Lakh)

|   S.No. | Name of States   | Amount Released   |
|---------|------------------|-------------------|
|       1 | Gujarat          | 750               |
|       2 | Andhra Pradesh   | 750 *             |
|       3 | Orissa           | 750               |
|       4 | West Bengal      | 750               |
|       5 | Bihar            | 750               |
|       6 | Nagaland         | 900               |
|       7 | Karnataka        | 750               |
|       8 | Tamil Nadu       | 750               |
|       9 | Madhya Pradesh   | 750               |
|      10 | Kerala           | 750               |
|      11 | Haryana          | 750               |
|      12 | Jharkhand        | 713.47            |
|      13 | Telangana        | 749.92 **         |
|      14 | Rajasthan        | 700               |

- **  This amount includes an amount of Rs. 2,70,92,000 which they had received from Govt. of Andhra Pradesh

*****