Central Consumer Protection Authority

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 12, Jul 2021

Why in News? 

The government is all set to establish a Central Consumer Protection Authority.

What is the Central Consumer Protection Authority?

The authority is being constituted under Section 10(1) of The Consumer Protection Act, 2019. 

Aim: To protect the rights of the consumer by cracking down on unfair trade practices, and false and misleading advertisements that are detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers.

It will be headquartered in the National Capital Region of Delhi but the central government may set up regional offices in other parts of the country.

Powers and Functions:

• Inquire or investigate into matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government.
• Recall goods or withdrawal of services that are “dangerous, hazardous or unsafe.
• Pass an order for refund the prices of goods or services so recalled to purchasers of such goods or services; discontinuation of practices which are unfair and prejudicial to consumer’s interest”.
• Impose a penalty up to Rs 10 lakh, with imprisonment up to two years, on the manufacturer or endorser of false and misleading advertisements.
• The penalty may go up to Rs 50 lakh, with imprisonment up to five years, for every subsequent offence committed by the same manufacturer or endorser.
• Ban the endorser of a false or misleading advertisement from making endorsement of any products or services in the future, for a period that may extend to one year. The ban may extend up to three years in every subsequent violation of the Act.
• File complaints of violation of consumer rights or unfair trade practices before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, and the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Composition:

• It will have a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members —one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
• The CCPA will have an Investigation Wing that will be headed by a Director General.
• District Collectors too, will have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements.

Facts For Prelims :

 2020 CD3:

Astronomers have recently observed a small object orbiting Earth, which they have dubbed a 2020 CD3, “mini-moon” or the planet’s “second moon”.

Key features:

• It is actually an asteroid, about the size of a car; its diameter is about 1.9-3.5 m. It is called a temporarily Captured Object (TCO).
• And unlike our permanent Moon, the mini-moon is temporary; it will eventually break free of Earth’s orbit and go off on its own way.

Habitable Planet:

• The exoplanet K2-18b, 124 light-years away from the earth, as research points out, may be habitable.
• The exoplanet is 2.6 times the radius and 8.6 times the mass of Earth and orbits its star within the habitable zone, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist.

Bhumi Panduga

It is a festival celebrated by the Koya tribe in Andhra Pradesh.

• This festival is celebrated every year as a symbol of starting agricultural activities.
• For men, hunting is mandatory as a part of the festival. The ‘Shikar’ is distributed equally among all the families of the village during a feast every evening.
• This festival is usually celebrated in the month of June.