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Bv
LIZZY E. A.
Research Scholar Department of Applied Economics
Professor
School of Management Studies
1995
(i,
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of Women
research
of
Kerala"
carried
work
supervision.
degree
in
The thesis
Doctor
of
is
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Philosophy
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Contents
Page
Acknowledgement
Contents
iii
List of Tables
vii
List of Diagrams
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
xv
Introduction
30
26
29
Hypotheses
30
Methodology
31 -
43
31
33
Socio-economic characteristics
Chapter 3
1 -
..
34
Statistical Mehodology
36
40
41
41
42
Review of Literature
.. 44 - 112
International scene
45
Consumerism in India
56
80
iv
Chapter 4
113 - 137
Chapter 5
113
Redressal Machineries
115
119
144
144
Government's Role
151
Consumer Protection
Women's Voluntary Consumer
153
Organisations
Chapter 6
00
156 - 197
International
156
National
164
178
Financial Status
184
186
o -.
189
191
Chapter 7
Studies on CDRAs
00
198 - 254
Data collection
198
Numerical abundance
199
Classification of Disputes
204
235
Chapter 8
of complaints
240
Execution of orders
248
Infrastructural problems
249
among women
..
'
255
27 3
288
301
336
374
384
vi
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
385 -
401
Structure
385
Involvement of women
390
405 -
419
xvii
L
vii
List of Tables
Table No.
1.1
Page
Title
of the world
1.2
3.1
33
by the MRTPC
3.3
1985 to 1990
3.4
4.1
4.2
98
116
118
viii
5.1
142
5.2
146
5.3
149
6.1
165
6.2
174
6.3
6.4
6.5
179
6.6
176
185
7.1
190
7.2
7.3
200
202
206
ix
7.4
categories of services
7.6
7.7
217
pertaining to goods
7.8
7.9
222
pertaining to services
7.10
7.12
232
234
7.13
236
8.1
256
x
8.2
8.3
259
I
8.4
261
8.5
8.6
263
marital status
8.7
268
8.8
266
271
278
8.9
28l)
8.10
Correlation matrix
283
8.11
8.12
304
8.13
308
8.14
288
311
xi
8.15
8.16
313
316
of goods
8.17
319
8.18
321
8.19
323
8.20
325
8.21
8.22
328
8.23
8.24
333
8.26
332
8.25
329
339
342
xii
8.27
8.28
8.29
350
8.30
347
353
8.31
8.32
367
8.36
363
8.35
361
8.34
359
8.33
355
369
371
8.37
376
8.38
374
xiii
8.39
377
8.40
377
8.41
378
8.42
379
8.43
i ~!lllily
8.45
381
8.46
380
382
383
9.1
386
9.2
9.3
387
390
9.4
Activities of VCOs
392
9.5
395
9.6
399
9.7
400
xiv
9.8
9.9
402
404
xv
List of Diagrams
Title
ii
214
221
vii
211
vi
207
203
iv
..
iii
Page
223
226
viiA
229
viii
233
8.1
303
8.2
8.3
substitutes
303
310
xvi
8.4
314
safe
8.5
317
8.6
322
8.7
324
Histogram
9.1
9.2
9.3
393
..
401
9.4
Budget up to Rs.IO,OOO
9.5
9.6
401
30000
..
403
Chapter 1
Introduction
General
1.1
have
accentuated
the
problems of
consumers
all
The
consumers choice was influenced by misleading and false advertisements which mainly lured women, resulting in gross exploitation of
the consuming mass.
Vigilance
consumers
from
is
the
needed
in
such
unethical,
market
unfair
trade
place
to
protect
practices
of
the
Consumer
groups
problems.
of
acting
or
less
in
concert
to
solve
consumer
corrective
and/or
more
actions
independent
for
which
organisations
the
consumers,
should
jointly
the
government
strive.
This
1.2
Consumerism
Consumerism has been defined in general as a social movement
concerned citizens
and
Government
to
enhance
the
rights
and
legal,
moral
and
economic
pressure
on
business".2
vociferous,
but also
robust
and
overpowering
enough
to
put
concept,
since
this
consumerism is as
type
of
economy
rests
consumers
can
eliminate
anti-consumer
consumers
are
presumed
to
interests.
have
old as
on
the
sellers.
built-in
principle
In
that
other words,
protection
for
their
consumers
labelling,
by
requiring
advertising,
such
fair
practices
pricing
as
and
honest
improved
packing,
safety
standards.
consumers
influence
the
nature
of
information
provided
with
to
Jermy
Potter
"consumerism
involves
more
than
Hambleton
argues
that
"consumerism
has
so
far
been
benefits will
local
democracy
and
decentralisation".4
Consumerism
is
restitution and
to Singh
(1994)
consumerism,
concept
of wider
In
its
of
wider
perspective,
administrative
through
the
reforms
it
for
technique
seems
as
an
item
accountability
of
on
and
decentralisation
the
agenda
responsiveness
of
power,
debureaucratisation
and
devolved
.
planning
process
which
are
of
about high prices, inadequate quality and safety of goods and poor
quality of service facilities needing improvement.
In spite of the above definitions consumerism had developed
into a strong force aimed at protecting the consumer by exerting
legal, moral and economic pressures on producers and providers in
the developed nations.
The government can protect consumer
interests
by designing
business
consumers.
seeking
to
protect
and
augment
the
rights
of
1.3
In 300 B.C.
Roman
and
Greek
and
meat
of
handling
the
governing
the
prohibiting
the
Laws
Egyptian
and
t-1osaic
early
of
development
\vi th
began
efforts
protection
consumer
first
The
Laws
for ale, wine and corn in England was set by King John in the Magna
Carta (A.D. 1215).
Before
the
forefathers
lived
emergence
of
individualistic
highly
the
modern
civilization
They
life.
our
were
upon
producers.
the
Even
honesty
though
and
goods
buying
had
skill
no
of
trademarks
the
few
local
and
brandnames
locally manufactured.
modern
civilization with
its
evils
began
to
exploit
in a stream of
and
at
the
ne\>l
same
confused
them
regarding
the
quality,
for
Thus
the producers.
the
consumer 1 s
sovereignty
over
the market
part
of
organised acti vi ty
the
government,
in the form of
consumer
movement
legislations on the
on
the
part
of
the
started in
is
source of
Table 1.1
Consumer Movement in different countries of the World
Period of Origin
Country
1900 - 1909
1910 - 1919
Britain
1920 - 1929
Netherlands (1926)
1930 - 1939
Norway (1939)
1940 - 1949
1950 - 1959
1960 - 1969
1970 - 1979
~rppcp
------------------------------------------------------------------,
Source:
1.4.1.1
United States
movement
Home
where
Economics
Women's
Association,
organisations
Chicago
such
Housewives
as
the
League,
Women
Women's
voters,
the
Y.W.C.A
took
(AHEA),
founded
Richards,
initiate.
in
1908
labelling
the Journal
Federation
The
concentrated
informative
published
General
American
under
on
for
the
of
Home
simplifying
the
and
the
Economics Association
leadership
standardising
clubs
of
Mrs.Ellen
H.
goods
and
consumer
complexity
of
buying;
educators
stimulated
the
consumer
movement
by
f0,rmulating
education
programmes
movement
when
the
and
administration
President Kennedy
Subsequent
courses.
recognised
presented
his
the
requesting
legislative
actions
problems
in
At
the
Commission
provides
present
strong
and
for
women's
rights
message"
the
consumer
Products
support
only
in
solving
Consumer
explicit
the
consumer
"consumer
Congress
1962.
to
to
Safety
consumer
interests.
1.4.1.2
United Kingdom
threw light to
the
the
centuries.
consumers
from
the
fourteenth
and
fifteenth
f l.ne,
foggl.ng
l'
or
century
the
' 11 ory. 10
th
e pl.
pressure
of
public
In
the
opinion
early
sixties
and
consumer
of
this
groups
consumers.
In
U.K.
with
greater
social
consciousness
made
by
manufacturers
through
laboratories
organised
them.
lOHarvey, Brian, W.& Parry, Deborah, L., The Law of Consumer
Protection and Fair Trading, Butter worths, London, 1987, p.6.
by
10
1.4.1.3
Scandinavian Countries
The
common
consumerist
tendencies
are
found
in
highly
and
Norway.
the
important
like
the
False
Consumers'
and
Deceptive
Ombudsman
(KO)
Marketing
by
imposing
fines
and
forbidding
the
erring
The Danish
(1964), National
Finance
themselves
and
with
Economic
the
Affairs
consumer
in
problems.
France
The
etc.
12
consumer
concerted
1. 4.1. 4
Japan
The consumer
that
in
other
movement
countries
in
Japan
because
differed
they
were
considerably
from
increasingly
well
11
f Mar k
'
etlng
Management, S, Ch an d
11
members, of policy decisions and the names of the manufacturers who
13
importance in America, Europe and Japan which led to their socioeconomic changes.
1.4.1.5
Developing Countries
v.s.
and enforcement of
those
laws.
Consumer movement
in developing
..
14
d eve 1 ope d na t lons.
activism
suitable
to
their
advanced
countries
educational
consumer
expectations
stronger
discontent
Therefore
education
government
13 "Consumer
in
is
Market Place,
with
developing
almost
have
Movement
vol.XXXV, No.12, p.27.
14 Mayer, Robert, N.,
are
in
the
economies
the
and
products
nations
non-existent,
opportunity
Japan",
because
attainments
greater
social
voluntary
are
in
more
high
and
they
exhibit
markets
offer.
where
the
consumer
both
businesses
and
obligations
Welfare,
March,
and
to
1989,
12
participate in consumer protection movement to emancipate
their
cl tizens,
which
they
shulI
011
111
Lilc' ausellcc' 01
.:I
countries
for
are
as
a
(1)
network of
a
consumer protection
government
watchdog
and
sponsored
initiator
(2)
in
consumer
effectively
product
tribunals
to
operate
quick
properly
safety,
which
litigants
and
trained
consumer
and
have
inexpensive
adequately
credit
realistic
redressal
staffed
(3)
etc.
access
and
mechanism
and
Trading
or
which
( 4)
Standards
a
and
15
National
1. 4.2
Due
to
protection
the
absence
movements
independence period,
its
courts
citizens
legislations.
has
at
of
the
powerful
and
time
independence
of
effective
consumer
and
post-
fulfilled
by
enacting
enough
consumer
between
the
law
on
paper
and
its
enforcement.
The
major
rights
through the
Contract Act
1872
enforcement of
and
the
legal measures.
The
cover
15Harvey, Brian, \v. & Parry, Deborah, L., The Law of Consumer
Protection and Fair Trading, Butterworths, London, 1987, p.38.
13
misrepresentation
misdescription,
and
spirit
The
fraud.
of
of
grains
and
In
oils.
Kautilya IS Arthasastra
there were
laundrymen
traders
who
used
faulty
weights
careless
16
measures.
and
Later when foreigners invaded our country they began to import low
quali ty products which led to the fall of marketing ethics among
our businessmen ;and slavery under the British helped to create a
craze
for
foreign
India
during
goods.
The
pre-independence
legislative measures
day
included
prevailed
Agriculture
in
Produce
(Grading and Marketing) Act, 1837, The sale of Goods Act 1930 and
the Drugs and cosmetics Act, 1940.
Gandhian
way
of
consumerism
is
new
dimension
in
the
the
mankind.
inroads
concepts
naturally
available
resources
towards
the
wellbeing
of
innerawakening
Swadhikar,
of
consumers
Swadeshi,
through
Swavalamban,
his
aesthetic
Swabiman
and
Saksharata.
Indian
Government
supported
by
the
then
weak
consumer
\,li th
the
14
developed
(jroups
yave
impetus
to
consumer
the
where
countries,
Commodities
of
Act,
Practices Act,
Food
1955,
1969,
uuui tion
to
Adulteration
The
pressure
the
In
leyislative measures.
the
and
movement
Monopolies
Act,
and
1954,
Essential
Restrictive
Trade
(Packaged
complaints
the
MRTP
Act
was
also
made
ineffective.
The
Insurance
COPRA,
1986
(Act
68/1986)
received
the
assent of
the
provided that it shall come into force on such date as the Central
Government will
could
be
provide
appointed
by
by
notification.
different
Since
states
and
different
for
dates
different
provisions, the provisions of the Act did not come into force on a
single date in the entire country.
15
such interests and State Consumer'Protection Councils one in each
state were set up to promote and protect the rights of consumers
within
the
Moreover,
state.
redressal
of
consumer
to
provide
disputes,
speedy
quasi-judicial
and
inexpensive
machinery
viz.,
(CDRAs).
Agencies
two
years
after
the
the
enactment,
urgent
implementation
of
the
Act.
After
going
through
the
shall
have a
17
state
District
that
only
233
Fora \vere
functioning
in
the
whole
proportion
to
Fora
the
took
number
were
proper
of
claimed
ini tiati ve
districts.
to
be
In
to
set
up
certain
functioning
even
Fora
states
though
in
the
no
single Forum in any of the districts, Harayana had only two for 11
districts.
Himachal
Karnataka
had four to serve all its districts, Kerala had three for the 14
16
districts,
26 districts,
45 districts,
Maharashtra
21 districts,
Punjab did not set up any Forum at all, Tamil Nadu had set up six
for
15 districts
Therefore
the
and West
District
Bengal
Fora,
had
which
t r1C
. t s. 18
f or 17 d 1S
three
are
the
pillars
of
the
th~
continued
merely advisory bodies which alone could not provide any effective
. th
solution to the problems of consumers.
Hence on 5
August 1991
the Supreme Court issued orders directing all the state Governments
to set up the District Fora within two months and to report to the
court.
19
in
its
order
dated
7.1.1993,
the
Supreme
Court
protected.
The
Writ
Petition
No.1141
wherein the
of
1988
was
thus
the costs at Rs.5000/- per state government for the default in this
regard.
18 Ibid , p.3
19 Ibid , p.8
17
In
addition,
there
were
other
handicaps
to
the
effective
the
members,
financial
constraints
and
their
administrative
Kerala
1.4.3
G.O.(P)21/88
F.B.C.S
dated
20
th
September
1988
with
the
enlightened
citizens,
the
promoting
State
Governments
set
up
State
dis~ricts
disputes
filed
at
Thiruvananthapuram,
filed
at
Ernakulam,
Kollam,
Alappuzha,
Thrissur,
Palakkad,
Idukki
and
at
Kozhikode,
Wynad,
Kannur,
Malappuram
and
Kasaragode
districts.
These
Supreme
three
Court
regional
Order
in
Fora
August
continued
1991
to
function
directing
all
till
the
the
State
from 1
st
November 1991.
18
During
the
period
number of disputes redressed were only 46.02 per cent and 53.98 per
.
.
F
20
cent were pending d1sposal at the varlousora.
to the
inadequate
number
of
staff
members,
increased
number
of
that
Rule 4(9) of the Consumer Protection (Kerala) Rules, 1987 that the
District Fora have to give their verdict within 90 days from the
date of notice received by the opposite party where the complainant
does not require analysis or testing of the goods and within 150
days if it requires analysis or testing of the goods.
According to
the VCOs 58 per cent of the cases filed by them in the Fora were
disposed of only after six months, and according to consumers 31 per
cent of cases took six months,
months, 22 per cent took 13 and above months for disposal in the
21
Fora.
The reasons for the delayed disposal may be attributed to
the operational weaknesses.
The COPRA, inter alia, seeks to protect
1
The
right
to
know
about
the
pr ice,
quality,
quantity,
19
5
In a
silent sufferers they are not even aware of the existence of the
mPRA, 1986 and the
rule~
consumer
under
grievances
1987.
various
headings
such
as
"citizens
that
aware
their
of
the
so-called wEi'Jl-educated
consumer
rights
nor
of
citizens
the
are
neither
establishment
of
1.5
Role of Women
The Act recognised the very significant role women can play
section
Co~ission
10
of
the
COPRA
in
each
District
Forum,
State
a woman
having
adequate
capacity
in
co~erce,
dealing
with
knowledge
problems
Women as decision-makers,
or
experience
relating
to
of,
or
economics,
shown
law,
consumer,
family
significantly
in
her function
decision-making
notable
since
the
is indisputable.
and
purchasing
emergence
of
Her voice in
has
become
nuclear
family,
20
composition
and
the
The
independence.
economic
and
education
employment
status
gave
family
nuclear
new
status
to
the
be
the
identified
family
for
decision-making
oonsciousness
potency,
Indian
Market
interesting
etc.
and
income groups -
A National
that
Bureau
very
few
Food
housewives
standardised
is
to
inevitable.
exercise
price,
Survey
thrm'ls
consumer
standard,
conducted
light
even
her
by
to
in
the
the
very
upper
has
quantity,
( IMRB)
and
a\<lareness
she
quality,
in promoting
heal thy
cons.umer
purchasing
the
Research
fact
providing
which
regarding
purity
as
role
packaged
items
inferior to home-made
22
have
dominating
role
in
decision -making.
The
study
The findings
unscrupulous traders they silently suffer the exploi tation vJi thout
22 Ravi , V.B, Bhosle, smita, "Looking for the Right Receipe", The
Best of Brand Equity, An Economic Times Publication, 1992, p.24-.23Joshi, Uma "Working Women and Household Decisions",
Vol.XL, 4.10.1994, p.14.
\~elfare,
Social
21
taking up the case to the trader or to the redressal machinery.
They do not even protest against these social evils.
The reasons can be attributed to lack of awareness of their
consumer
rights,
functioning,
existence
influence
of
of
the
redressal
advertisements,
lack
agencies
of
and
the
facilities
to
study
conducted
in
Hissar
District
of
respondents
Haryana
State
90 per cent of
their rights as a
consumer and only around 60 per cent of the urban respondents were
aware
of
their
rights
as
90
cent
per
consumers.
respondents
and
of
heard about
consumer protection
the
The
urban
cent
per
respondents
laws although
cent
rural
had
never
rural and 10 per cent of the urban respondents were aware of the
COPRA, but ignorant as to its implications and use.
24
18.66 per cent were aware of the location of the CDRAs, 14 per cent
were aware of the functions of the Fora and 44 per cent had an idea
about lodging complaints. 25
24,
'
Ya d av, L a l'1., Sangwan, Veena & Gandhi, Sudesh,
S1.ng h
, Klran,
Consumer Awareness
A Survey, Consumer Confrontation, (Vol.12,
No.3, May-June 1992, p.13).
25
Jacob, Johnson,
A study on Awareness Regarding Consumer
Protection
Movemen t
among
the
Housewi ves
in
Kalamasser
UnlC1.pa 1.ty , M.S.W.Dlssertatlon, Rajagiri Institute of Social
Sciences, 1994.
11
22
Even
when
mercllessly
complain
by
to
they
Llle
the
realise
trauers,
traders
or
that
WUIIK'1I
file
do
they
lIuL
cases
are
Lake
in
the
being
Llle
exploited
illiLiative
CDRAs,
v/hich
Lu
is
Table 1.2
Number of complaints filed by women at the District Fora
with total number of complaints
District Fora
No. of Complaints
Total
Filed by Women
Ernakulam
4075
441
Kozhikode
3926
349
Thiruvananthapuram
1889
252
Kottayam
2157
235
Thrissur
1876
233
Alappuzha
1406
241
Kol1am
1785
217
Pathanamthitta.
695
78
Idukki
770
67
Palakkad
1059
64
Kannur
1385
64
Wynad
512
31
Malappuram
912
43
23
This may be due to the socio-cul tural problems faced by women.
The educated unemployed women were 15.09 lakhs in March 1990
which was
job seekers
in
~rala.26
they do not come for doing voluntary work for the welfare of the
The reasons may be the attitude of the society,
consuming mass.
1.6
i9
organisation
no
in
authentic
the
definition
Consumer
of
Protection
voluntary
Act,
consumer
1986.
Since
Child
to the National
Development,
Institute of Public
voluntary
organisation
Co-operation
is
often
on outside motivation
to
promote
in
satisfy their
self-reliant
felt
needs
and
26 EconomlC
,.
,
Revlew,
Government
manner,
partially
also to bring
0
or
them and
wholly,
the
to
public
24
effective
poor"
development
of
various
sections
of
the
rural
28
and
objective
non-proprietory
management
free
the
operation.
of
mainly for
from
should
politicaL
under
be
official
and
government control.
In
India
VCOs
should
be
registered
under
the Societies
individual
or group of individuals,
benef it of any
be defined
as
services
consumers,
control,
free
with
to
the
from
women's
consumers
any
in
the
political,
matter
official
participation with
an
of
and
ultimate
educating
government
object
of
housewives,
to
consumer welfare.
C G SI,
inform,
educate
Bombay,
and
formed
organise
in
1966
consumers
by
was
nine
the
first
women's
25
The Supreme Court observed that "it is conceivable that the
consumer protection movement is gaining ground in other countries
because of
strong
consumer
the consumers, such powerful bodies are far and few in this country
and they are unable to exert sufficient pressure on the powers that
be as compared to the pressure brought by vested interests because
ilie consumers in this country are not organised as one would like
iliem to be".29
Women's organisations
Rising
India
Prices
(CGSI)
(AWARP),
resisted
such as
Bombay
the
and
rising
Association of Women
Consumer
prices
in India.
mounting force.
Guidance
and
fought
Against
Society
to
of
improve
there are
684
30
enunciated
29
Handling of complaints
Education
Advocacy
Litigation
Media
Publication
Lobbying and
Research
26
The
VCos
in
developed
countries
are
mainly
engaged
in
on
"Management
Voluntary Organisations"
~Os
was
related
H.D.Shouri
(Common
to
and
Resource
expressed that
the
for
financing
of
their
suggested
matching
Cause)
Mobilisation
activities.
Sri
contribution
to
grievances
dissatisfied
consumers
result of
inadequate and
This gives a
by
harassed
insufficient
services
and
and unfair
trade
practices.
nor of
to
approach
the
the
question
CDRAs
remains
which
can
why
these
provide
people
quick,
and agony.
The answer is simple and straight pointing out the total lack of
awareness among the educated as well as the illiterate Indians.
27
CDRl\s
are
expected
to
dispose
of
the
complaints
year
of
within
functioning
of
all
the
14
District
Fora
the
poor and more than 50 per cent of the total cases were pending
This high pendancy rate was due to
operationa1
Removal
weaknesses.
of
operational
these
of
the
time
taken
by
the
Fora
for
disposal
and
the
as
mothers
and
housewives
her
voice
experience
the
consumer
in decision-making
and
become
stronger.
According to the Census Report 1991 the female literacy rate
is as high as 87 per cent in Kerala compared to 39 per cent at the
national level.
to
state in
females.
the
Even
country where
though
they
the
are
participation
and
are
few
more
involvement
the
ratio
more
in
educated,
the
consumer
is
country,
protection
compared
aware
in
sex
to the
of
their
total
number of
consumer
rights
cases.
Only
file
their
28
Women can do a lot for consumer protection and for increasing
consumer awareness since there are many educated unemployed women.
In the v'lest, women and women I s organisations were the first to take
initiative against
education
I~ia
in
consumer
schools
and
exploitation.
universities
They
in
started
190'Os.
consumer
But women
in
oonsumer
exploitation.
The
Consumer
Guidance
Society
of
India
this are lack of a,.,areness and the constraints due to the outlook
of the society.
the
socio-economic
implementation
of
the
conditions
COPRA
and
the
of
women,
role
the
played
effecti ve
by
Voluntary
consumer
providing useful
complaints
information.
as
well
also are in a
in
There are
educating
49
position to
consumers
by
registered Voluntary
Only a
29
To
identify
the
major
limitations
with
regard
to
the
To
identify
the
role
of
women
the
constraints
in
decision-making
for
purchases.
To
identify
that
restrict
women
from
To
identify
organisations
research.
the
with
constraints
regard
to
of
voluntary
consumer
consumer
education
and
30
1.9
Hpotheses
Speedy
staff
cases,
redressal
members,
of
consumer
number
vacancies
in
of
the
disputes
complaints,
District
Fora
depends
on
adjournments
and
the
of
financial
facilities.
Education
and
nuclear
type
of
~~mily
are
positively
Participation
of
women
in
consumer
protection
movement
Chapter 2
Methodology
2.1
collected by way
of personal
visits
to
University,
pUblications
Centre
of
for
Ministry
Development
of
Food,
Studies,
Civil
Kerala,
Supplies
and
addition,
Voluntary
the
Consumer
author
visited
Organisations
of
offices
Kerala,
as
of
prominent
listed
in
the
of
complaints
filed
at
the
13
For
presidents
Organisations
and
and
members
(3)
Ernakulam Districts,
lI, III
2.2
&
urban
of
and
CDRAs
rural
(2)
women
Voluntary
from
Consumer
Thrissur
and
IV).
survey of women.
the districts was done on the basis of the number of cases filed by
32
The districts
Districts
female
complainants
were
complainants
were
between
and
100
female
(Thiruvananthapuram,
Kottayam,
100
(Pathanamthi tta,
female
complainants
Idukki,
Palakkad,
were
,Kannur,
They
were
Since
the
third group had a very few female complainants they were considered
as atypical units, and hence not included in the study.
In
the
second
stage
one
taluk
each
from
the
selected
The
selected
and
Thrissur
taluks
were
Districts
Paravur
and
respectively.
Thrissur
In
from
the
Ernakulam
third
stage
one
municipality and one Panchayat each were selected from the selected
taluks as the urban and rural areas respectively.
there are two municipalities viz.,
ooe was selected at random.
In Paravur taluk
Of these,
33
one Municipality
chosen
urban
Panchayat
selected
viz.,
area
from
from
each
Panchayats
Hence
it
was
the
the
rural
sample
one
chosen
at
Thrissur Municipality.
selected
were
For
Thrissur.
Ta1uk
was
Chittattukara
Panchayat
random.
and
The
Vi1vattom
districts.
Table 2.1
Female Population and Ratio of Women to Men in the selected
Municipalities and Panchayats with the
number of complainants
Districts
Rate of
women to men
Women
No.of Complainants
Ernaku1am
Paravur Municipality
1.0002:1
15865
Chittattukara Panchayat
1.0167:1
12766
Thrissur Municipality
1.087:1
38849
Vi1vattom Panchayat
1.0002:1
441
Thrissur
8453
233
34
In the fourth stage the sample. size was selected.
To make
From the
selected
selected
municipalities
pan~hayats
110
women
each
and
from
the
Since majority
non-complainants
complainants
were
from both
included
the
selected
in
the
urban
urban
areas
sample.
were
50
identified
study.
t~
2.3
Socio-economic
employment,
marital
characters
status,
type
of
such
family
as
age,
and
income
education,
affecting
Karl
Mannheim
prepositions
and
commented
systems
of
that
ideas
socio-economic
"the
are
not
opinions,
taken
at
35
their face but are interpreted in the light of the life situation
of the
2.3.1
Age
Age, a biological component of human personality, has its own
effect
on
extent.
the
According
generational
relation
2.3.2
response
patterns
to
(1968)
Gaur
status may
give
to certain men
in
of
the
"Seniority
women
the
respondents
higher
in
to
age
symbolic
great
or
in
rank
in
family".
Education
According to Gaur (1983) the position of women as conceived
It
is
expected
respondent
that
the
distinguishes
personality
itself
from
pattern
that
of
an
of
an
educated
illiterate
and
Employment
Women in the past has been excluded from the decision-making
Marital Status
The importance of marital status is that it is supposed to
36
with
men.
widowed.
By
single
status
it
is
meant
either
unmarried
or
orientation -
Type of Family
In this study the structure of family was analysed under two
types viz.,
nuclear and
joint.
While a
nuclear family
has been
that
of
consanguineous
kins
the
of
joint
one
family
or
more
was
taken
than
one
as
group
generation
of
where
Statistical Methodology
The analysis was performed using statistical techniques such
as Multiple
Linear Regression
Analysis,
Kendall
Co-efficient of
Concordance etc.
2.4.1
index
as
the
dependent
variable
and
the
socio-
37
For generating the awareness index the principle of Principal
Component Analysis (PCA) was used.
These linearly
The maximum
few
of
the
principal
components
that
explain
the
maximum
generating
Component
Analysis,
indicator
variables.
the
the
roots
through
the
six
The
awareness
the
indicator
index
consumer
through
rights
covariance
matrix
the
were
Principal
taken
of
as
the
indicator
the
variables
were
converted
and
into
latent
Principal
Componen ts
The principal component which explained the maximum variance
was selected as the awareness index.
would
serve
awareness
as
an
provided
effective
it
index
explains
for
measuring
substantially
the
high
consumer
amount
of
variance.
Since the objective is to identify the socio-economic factors
that influence
consumer
awareness
the
principal
component
which
awareness
index
was
used
as
the
dependent
variable
for
38
P.
j=l
where P.
a ..
1J
x.
a .. x.
1J
: Principal Component
Number of variables
Coefficients of the ith latent vector
: Standardised value of the ith independent
variable
2.4.2
is
= 1 - 6 i:.D2
2
N(N -1)
39
When
ranks,
denotes
coefficient
of
rank
correlation
between
paired
among
the
various
sets
rankings
made
by
the
respondents.
Method
To compute
Then
we find the sum of R. s of all the columns and divide that sum by N
J
Finally'S'
the
40
Where S
of R.,
J
ie,
sum
which
would
occur
with
perfect
agreement
among
rankings.
This method was applied to measure the degree of agreement
among the members of District Fora regarding the functioning of the
Fora
and
in
locating
protection movement.
Student's t-test,
the
constraints
on
women
in
the
consumer
hypotheses.
2.5
Since
the
consumer
protection
movement
is
still
in
its
interviews
with
the
persons
concerned.
Even
though
the
41
business
enterprises
protection
through
can
play
an
self-regulation
important
they
are
role
not
in
consumer
included
in
the
study.
2.6
of
complaints
filed
from
May
1990
till
and
30.11.1992
2.7
1986 was
enacted as
the
weaknesses
need
of
the
day
is
in
the
set
up
and
to
locate
workings
of
shortcomings
the
CDRAs
so
and
that
Consumer Organisations
could
not
achieve
the
of
targeted
their composition
and
working
etc.
is
supposed
to
unearth
the
42
50.8
revealed
per
by
cent
being
socio-economic
women
and
research
their
backward
studies,
position
study
on
as
women's
The
outcome
of
the
above
studies
can
be
an
important
2.8
growth and
It also
limitation, period,
A survey
chapter.
of
related
literature
is
portrayed
in
the
third
43
The
fourth
chapter
gives a
critical
women and
respectively.
Chapter 3
Review of Literature
3.1
The
literature,
aimed
at
present
study
which
touched
gathering
utilised
upon
rich
variety
of
consumerism in
source
of
insight
documents
and
India
and
abroad,
into
its
various
aspects.
consumer
protection
as
it
is
practiced
today
along
with
the
3.2
number
of
exclusive
Ahmedabad,
'Common
'Consumer Highlights'
Journals
and"
Publications
from
cause'
of Consumer
by
Common
Cause,
New
Information Centre,
Delhi,
Hyderabad,
Supplies,
Public
'Consumer Guard'
'Consumer Protection'
Cornrni ttee etc.
Distribution
and
Consumer
Affairs,
New
Co-ordiantion
45
3,3
Going
through
the
available
literature
in
the
field
of
3.3.1
international scene
consumerism in India
studies on women
International Scene
Munshi
examined the plight of consumer movement in the U.S., U.K and Japan
and came to the conclusion that the U. S model consumerism is not
suitable for India because our market economy cannot be compared
with that
or
of
the
Scandinavian
U. S
model
and
because
our
market
the British
economy
is
more
46
suitable
to
that
of
scandinavian
as early as 1872.
the Inter-State
Federal
Trade
Commerce
formulated
and
agencies
He
enlightened
regulatory
agencies
us
of
Commission,
Commission
other regulatory
countries.
the
Federal
National
U. S
Power
Bureau
government
of
Commission,
standards
tried
to
and
protect
consumers.
Cron,
Rodney
Satisfction'
problems
stated
led
to
(1974)
that
the
the
is like
his
child,
often
'Assuring
research
conclusion
Customer
of
consumer
that
consumer
book
nation - wide
over-riding
in
needing
demonstration
of
neither responsible for anything which happens nor liable for any
,I
business
must
consumers
with
demonstrated
the
be
able
to
provide
assurances
their
that
potential
they
have
the
to
consumers.
help
people
to
become
Issues'(l974)
and
'The
Consumer's
well-informed
and
better
Economic
Issues
and
3Garman, Thomas, E & Eckert, Sidney, W., The Consumer's WorldBuying, Money Management and Issue, Mc Graw Hill Book Co., New
York, 1974.
47
b~
Management
~~~ers'
:0
~1890s,
According
Juring the 1960s with the modern views of the current consumerism.
They explained an effective and appropriate educational programme.
The
beginnings
of
the
fourth
era of
consumer
interest
in
ili~
book
'Consumer
and socio-economic
into
represent
two
consumer
such
as
Specific consumer
responses
observable
which
and
can
be
non-observable.
directly
ascertained
by
others
but
can
only
be
infered.
4
Garman, Thomas E. & Eckert, Sidney, The Consumer's World Economics Issues and Money Management, Mc Graw Hill Book Company,
New York, 1979.
5
Reynolds, Fred, D and Wells, Williams,
l1c Graw Hill Book Co., U.S.A., 1977.
'Consumer Behaviour',
48
Therefore identification of the consumer response variables that
reveals the basis of interactions at the market place is needed
for
improving
the
practices
of
marketers,
public
policy
'Regulating Business
Law and
(1979)
in his book
which
on
fall
what
within
were
the
weights
ambit
and
of
local
measures
government
departments.
and
The
consumer
protection
programmes
and
for
proposing
new
initiatives.
depends
the
upon
country
councils
established
of
England
and
Wales,
the
consumer
agencies
or
made
arrangements
quality
controi
systems
but
never
prosecuted
them
49
~iliough
the pressure
wide range
of
product safety
detrimental
product
policy
impact
of
groups.
with
The
regard
product
main
to
issue
was
minimising
related
safety
the
to
improve
potential
regulations
on
regulation
through
legislative
measures
in
those
countries are
Australia
Canada
France
Japan
Control
of
Household
1973,
Law
Products
Norway
Netherlands
50
Ne\v Zealand
Sweden
- Marketing
Act,
1976,
Act
on
Products
- Consumer
Protection
Act,
1961
and
'product recall
and in Japan.
hazardous
~~tantially
un~acturer,
after
hearing,
the
competent
ministry
may
order
the
seller
to
recall
unsafe
~oducts
hazards.
and
not
again
produced
marketed
again
without
51
Ranganadha
~anagement'
mcial
(1983)
observed
force
dtiz~s
in his
book
consumerism
necessitating
an
as
'A Text
an
Book
enduring
organised
effort
of
Marketing
political
of
and
concerned
brought
ro~~er
movement in U.K.,
India.
about
valuable
U.S.A.,
about
growth
of
measures
viz;
(1)
the
False
or
Deceptive
they
are
faced
with
"unfitting
complaints
in
regulations
and
to
Institute for
Consumer
(3)
regard
to
size
and
shape
Family
protect
Affairs
the
Informative
Information
in
interests
Labelling
provide
Sweden
and
requisite
of
there were
of
packaging,
The Hinistry
enacts
the
marketing
'KO'
Marketing
whenever
practices".
fev/er
informations
bills
consumers.
National
Institute
information
to
and
The
for
Swedish
Consumers.
In Denmark the aggrieved customers can lodge complaints with
the House Wives Consumer Council which will see that t'le customers
get either replacement or free repair or money back immediately.
8
Ranganadha,
Sripati,
A Text Book of Marketing Management,
S.Chand & Co., Ltd., New Delhi, 1983.
52
In
France
?roblems,
there
is
established
Finance
and
~sumer
organisations,
National
under
Economic
the
Affairs
Commission
auspices
of
comprising
~anufacturers,
on
the
Consumer
Ministry
representatives
of
of
jovernment.
Dutch
The
Ministry
of
Economic
Affairs
has
one-man
Family Affairs
Consumers
such as Association
have
made
attempts
through
(CGSI),
organisations
Prices
(AWARP)
and
other
than
through
with
in
U. K
The
more
appointed
par liamen t
effectiveness
by
Therefore a
the
than
government
"Utili ties
to
the
lay
regulate
efficiency
audit"
monopolies
commission
the
utili ties.
public
to which
the
consumer
outside
scrutiny
to
bear
on
public
and
private
monopolies.
911consumers in chains",
16- 22, 1986, p .11
The Economist,
Vol.300
No.7549
August
53
Harvey and parrylO (1987) in their book "The Law of Consumer
?rotection and Fair Trading"
consumerism
throughout
the
eighteenth
century
meant
11
(1990)
has
written
book
"Law
of
consumer
in 1962.
kt,
1967,
1970,
the
Consumer
Product
Safety
Act,
1972
etc.
The
viz.,
Administration
Federal
(FDA),
Trade
Consumer
Commission
Product
(FTC)
Safety
Food
and
Commission
Drug
(CPSC)
etc.
Mayer, Robert
12
(1990)
along
with
historical
overview
of
consumerism.
11
Saraf,
D.N,
Tripathi
12
Mayer, Robert,
N,
The Consumer Movement - Guardians of the
Place, Twayne Publishers, Boston, 1990.
~larket
54
:.5
at the
turn
of
the
century,
between
1920s
and
1930s
and
in
~i~ustrial
lar
~re
n.
revolution.
consumer protection
legislations
;olitical climate
supportive
:ortuitous scandals.
of
charge,
The third
era was
muckraking
authors
and
:~nsumer
Garg
13
(1990)
in
his
book
liThe
Consumer
Protection
Act,
consumerism in U.K.,
~abelling
the
~~)
may
adopted
;overnment
~nsumer
~ost
in
be
by
Varudeklarationsnamde
Sweden
conjunction
organisations.
which
with
is
(Quality
financed
various
by
national
the
Labelling
Swedish
business
and
Council
of
Ministers
of
the
European
Economic
13
Third
Edition I
55
~~ection
member countries.
of
the
commodities
or
service
he
or
she
buys.
The
public transport
doorstep sales
correspondence courses
consumer credit
advertising
cosmetics
packaging
10
wine
56
11
aerosols
12
coffee
13
toys
14
Fortunately
~normously
forking
the
position
consumer's
strengthened
is
of
the
Consumers'
Consul tati ve
Committee
in
close
st
single unified
~arket
].3.2
Consumerism in India
&
Japan.
15
(1985)
He
has
advocated
deal
converting
the
Restrictive
Trade
with all
lapses
in
in consumer protection
laws.
15
B.R.
Publi-
57
had
dealt
packing etc..
oils
to
with
the
adulteration,
labelling,
16
testing,
adulteration,
emphasising
need
the
AGMARK
for
Cochin
University of
has
conducted
1989.
Lee 1 a
. h nan 17
KrlS
presented
in
first
seminar
protection
~~umer
the
and
Legal
Control'
(1985)
and
edited
published
which
gives
all
the
book
clear
'Consumer
picture
of
1986.
It
papers
In the second
setting
up of long-awaited
need for
the
state's
assistance
for
a
voluntary
consumer
statutory autonomous
corporation
16
Protection",
Kurukshetra,
17
Leela
Krishnan,
P.
Consumer Protection and Legal Control,
Eastern Book Co., Lucknow, 1985.
l8consumer Confrontation, Vol.9, No.2, March - April, 1989, p.15
58
4
the
national
economy, rate
fixation,
safety
measures
The review of
Goods
Act,
inadequacies
1930
which
in the existing
requires
the
law, Sa.le of
consumer
to
prove
negligence.
Oommen
"Industrial
wnsumer
and
Nair
19
(1986)
Organisation
protection
and
have
explained
Management",
stressing
the
fact
in
why
there
that
the
their
book
should
be
government
community
generate
consumer
and
the
consumer
awareness
by
should
go
providing
hand
in
consumer
hand
the
to
education
author
explained
the
definitions
of
consumerism
of
concerned
as
follows:
Philip Kotler defined "Consumerism
citizens
and
is
an
organised
government
power of buyers
i~
to
movement
enhance
the
rights
and
relation to sellers".
----_.------------190ommen, P. T and Nair, N. S. Industrial Organisation and Management, Lion's Publications, Madurai, 1986.
59
"Need for consumer movement" authored by Narain
~liberation
consumer
on
various
protection.
The
legislative
main
thrust
20
measures
of
the
(1987) was
enacted
article
for
was
to
COPRA,
and
the
need
for
strong,
effective
and
popular
consumer movement.
Sas try
21
(1987)
in
his
article
"Protecting
consumers'
get the
right
at
type of
goods,
of
right quality,
of
at
the
consumer
Prescription
of
standards
of
goods
and
services
to
be
provided to consumers
2
4 Establishment
consumers,
to
of
bodies
to
investigate these
receive
complaint
complaints
and
to
from
take
action and
5
Movement",
Yojana,
Vol. 36 ,
Yojana,
60
He detailed the legislative measures for consumer protection
enacted in India viz.
Act,
1950
1
1930
and
p
The
prevention
of
Blackmarketing
and
Maintenance
of
:he Supreme Court or the High Court by filing writ petitions for
?rotection.
61
In
spite
of
the
above
regulations,
the
Indian
consumer
and
organise
himself
to
fight
against
the
:xploitations.
Malhotra 22
~rize
(1988)
was
awarded
second
:ssay
Competition,
~rought
out
1988,
the
"Redress
following
of
reasons
public
for
Grievances"
the
failure
has
of
The
Department
which
was
of
Administrative
up
by
set
the
Reforms
government
and
Public
received
around
least over
one
lakh
of
account on non-disposal
:igures of disposal
people
of
every
their
year
dissatisfied
complaints.
1978-79,
just
Unfortunately
on
the
~1alhotra,
M.L.
"Redress of Public Grievances", The Indian
Journal of Public Administration, Vol.34, No.4, October - December,
~988, p.950-973.
62
Table 3.1
Complaints received and disposed of by the
Central Government Departments
No. of Complaints
Year
Received
Disposed of
1975-76
12,27,691
10,07,724
1976-77
9,13,687
8,26,422
1977-78
9,75,606
9,32,809
1978-79
10,64,030
N.A
1979-80
10,44,198
N.A
1980-81
11,63,959
N.A
1981-82
12,49,024
9,31,617
1982-83
11,94,973
9,80,878
1983-84
11,40,024
9,30,472
1984-85
9,49,348
8,68,628
an article by Garg
23
(1988) has expressed his views that quality goods at a fair price
He
has
citizen;
but
these
rights
are
infringed
upon
by
the
protection
protecting
Act,
that
1986
consumer
the
and
government
amended
had
the
interests.
enacted
MRTP
Further
Act
.a
the
consumer
in
1986
for
fool-proof
these
Traders",
Yojana,
63
"Consumer
singh
24
Protection
Legislation:
Critique"
written
by
Act, 1986.
that it
is
financial
applicable
institutions
pointed out
the
to
enterprises
and
drawbacks
Co-operative
of
the
Act.
the
public
Societies,
One
among
sector,
and
them
is
also
the
number
of
consumer
protection
legislations
There are a
to
exercise
powers in many areas which would also fall within the purview of
the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
25
(1989)
Practices
his
Commission
Consumer Protection"
~e
in
has
article
in
"Monopoly
Action
Some
and
Restrictive
Reflections
on
lacuna of
or
unfai~
trade practices.
the
Moreover
erring
business
monopolisti~.
the
MRTP
enterprises
25
64
ldvertisements or to notify the findings of the commission in this
regard to the public.
Antony
26
1976,
i~ffior
unless
the
revision
~aning
government
of
the
enterprises
laws
covering
are
the
prepared
public
for
utilities
thorough
the
very
Garg
need for
27
rethinking
of
some
of
the
provisions.
The
relevant
Since
the
adjudicatory
complicated
legal
sufficient legal
the
bodies
terms,
have
some
to
deal
more
with
persons
adjudicatory
bodies
ln
the
most
with
to man
addition
to
existing
made
establishing
composition of members.
Not
much
progress
have
been
in
~s
and
defined in
Except for
65
the
few
and
Prevention
in
laboratories
recognised
.Food
Adulteration
Act
of
enactments,
paid
scanty
proper
attention
establishing
appears
and
to
some
have
laboratories
new
under
the
other
not
been
to
the
and
equipped to undertake
ignorant,
reach
upto
for which
the
cost
order.
up
independent
The
should
author
comparative
informations
be eliminated
suggested
testing
about
the
need
centre
quality,
to
safety
greater
need
to
check
the
prices
in
for
give
and
There is
India
by
as
the
live below
this
book
concentrated
on
the
legal
aspects,
the
66
singh
28
and
traders
who
indulge
in
malpractices
in
their
or
overpricing.
:ollaboration
with
the
rupees
A
year by way of
survey
Bombay
conducted
Municipal
poor quality,
by
the
CGSI
Corporation's
in
health
from
various
parts
of
the
city
were
adulterated.
consumer
the
to
stuffs
the
COPRA
successful
by
Unorganised
29
(1990)
Agencies
in their article
in
Consumer
"Role
Protection"
Of
The authors
is
not
complaints which
strong
they
because
of
the
substantiated with
delay
the
in
data
judicial
disposing
given
in
of
the
table 3. 2.
th e Hour,
"
\'Ielfare, New Delhi, Vol.XXXVII, No.7, October 1990, p.6-7
28,
h
Slng,
J agJ' 1, t,
11
C onsumers '
F orums
N ee d
social
1988
1987
1986
Year
Opening
balance
541
283
1333
818
2225
842
198
125
584
1130
747
456
No. of cases
disposed pending
427
1626
1321
615
512
258
1549
256
89
285
333
96
277
704
155
513
87
144
765
2243
615
1321
258
285
Opening
No. of cases
balance received disposed pending
Total
3343
5939
3240
6042
2664
4703
1880
5487
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
480
818
Enquiries
1665
283
Enquiries
1639
1376
541
Complaints
1333
229
179
Enquiries
Complaints
550
189
received
-------------------------------------
Complaints
Particulars
----------~------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Restrictive and Unfair Trade Practices received, disposed of and pending disposal by the MRTPC
Table 3.2
67
68
The table revealed that the number of complaints filed with
the MRTPC
is
increasing
rapidly
each
year
hence
the
redressal
consumers.
. h namurt h y 30
KrlS
Protection
overview
Act.,
of
the
COPRA,
consumers.
aggrieved
consumer
in
his
Features
1986:
aggrieved
COPRA.
(1990)
and
and
1986
under
any
Legal
other
Accordingly
the
other
"The
article
Analysis 11
legal
is
gave
remedies
remedies
law
Consumer
not
for
available
to
affected
the
by
Sale of
an
the
an
the
Goods
under
the
Indian
liability for
Contract
Act
for
compensation and
mis-representation,
under
the
COPRA.
He
further
only,
consumer
grievances
of
smaller
importance
can
be
piece
and
of
legislation
vagueness
and
because
lack of
powers
of
to
the
room
pass
for
interim
30 KrlS
. h namurt h y, N., "The Consumer Protection Act, 1986: Features
and Legal Analysis 11 , Chartered Secretary, Vol.XX, No.IO, October
1990, p.834-837.
69
orders for
preventing
the
trader
from
selling,
distributing
or
31
(1990)
in
his
article
"Consumer
Protection"
of
legislative
measures
towards
consumer
protection
32
Accountability
(1990)
is
accountability
of
public
an
article
which
of
public
utili ties
utilities
debates
how
like
Air
to
ensure
Electricity,
raised
the
the
issue
that,
whether
accountability
of
public
is
delayed,
the
right
reason
to
information
for
the
as
to
cancellation
how
of
70
.
33
Se b astlan
:~e
Consumer"
i :JCiety like
2~le
and
India,
should
enterprise
:~~nting
:ists.
tiili
maintains
the
aspiration
of
the
socialist
or
no
preserve
and
economic
and
imbalance.
maintain
protection
of
the
the
Therefore
laudable
consuming
the
our
ideals
public
of
by
emergence
:ndependence
~~~t
of
now meets
the
national
almost
70%
of
economic
the
needs
planning
of
after
consumers
in
:herefore social
~ls
that
limited
:Jvernment
~~
and
:.:ndertakings
responsiveness
strategy
are
of
not
the
made
should
be a
part of
public
sector.
accountable
for
But
their
the ongoing
the
public
practices
and
?rocedures towards the consumers and the public, which make their
';ery existence detrimental to society.
"Boost to Consumer Movement"
?ersistence of
expeditious
and
Common
Cause
satisfactory
(a
34
VCO)
the
matter
implementation of
of
securing
the COPRA,
1986.
iihen the state government failed to take interest and ini tiati ve
in setting
up
the
District
Fora
even
after
tvlO
years
of
the
enforcement of the Act, the matter was taken to the Supreme Court
through a Writ Petition filed by the 'Common Cause'.
33sebastian, V S ,
'Public Undertaking s and the
Cochin University Law Review, Kochi, 1990, p.261-277.
3t
Consumer',
71
At the end of 31.2.1990 it was reported that Andhra Pradesh,
Orissa, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradcsh had 23, 13, 21 and 63 District
Fora with the existing District Judges having authority to preside
the Fora whereas
had
Haryana
one
for
had
12
only
two
districts,
for
\vere established
districts,
Karnataka
had
Himacha1
four
for
24
Madhya Pradesh
consumers,
vacancies
remained
unfilled
tota lly
di sabling
the
th
35
(1991) pinpointed
The Illustrated
72
.36
Ad vanl
details
about
(1991)
the
telephones,
banks,
working
the
of
Grievances
in
book
redressa1
insurance
Department
(DARPG)
the
which
"Effective U 8es
machinery
etc
of
set
Law"
by
railways,
Administrative
was
up
of
set
up
in
reviewed
Reforms
1985
to
gave
and
the
Public
redress
the
1985
Received
Disposed of
not available
not available
1986
"
"
1987
""
"
1988
12,34,341
9,95,323
1989-90
12,69,510
10,61,239
the
purpose of
offering
quick,
36Advani,
Rani,
"Effecti ve uses of Law",
Consumer
Education
Consumer Education and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, 1991.
~ries,
73
'eap and effective
':ause they cannot
George,
::~
Baju
remedy
to
the
afford courts
common
man
remains
illusory
only
for
disposal
of
His
complaints
by VCOs and
69
findings
revealed
Fora
regarding
that 58 per
6 months
for
suggestions
for
than
::spos al.
The Fora members
~inimising
have
made
the
following
~erala",
74
The
consumers
follows.
have
assessed
the
working
of
the
Fora
as
members
inclusion
of
and
83
per
services
free
cent
within
of
VCOs
the
68 per cent of
felt
the
purview of
need
for
the Act.
He
Services
like
treatment
in
government
hospitals
and
The National
should award
interim
If sufficient
should
be
made
permanent
only
after
hearing
the
respondent.
3
organisations. The
and
financial
organisations.
aid
Government
to
should
strengthen
the
provide
consumer
75
and
changed
as
members
Only
the
designation
'Principal
of
Judge'
President
and
'Judge'
and members
should
respectively
and
be
the
persons
sel~cted
with
dedication
and
legal
knowledge
should
be
Workshop
(CERC)
and the
'Consumer
Interest
and
Monopoly
The
report
of the
seminar
revealed
very
interesting
and
As per the
IPO, 1898 the Department has the exclusive privilege in the matter
of letters
only
savings bank.
a""'d
not
in
cases
of
parcels,
money
orders
or
and the
recommended
(a)
random
checking
system to
avoid
76
(c) informations
should
display
information
in
local
languages
Fora by using
compensations
etc.
through
Council,
t he
'
39
XIII
Meet~ng
on
26.5.1993
held
of
the
Jayant
Central
Kumar
Consumer
Mitra
of
Protection
the
Consumer
over the
country once in a
as
'Perspective
envisaged
Plan
for
in
the
Creating
started by prescribing a
Report
of
Consumer
the
working
Awareness I ,
Consumer
group
on
should
be
~ the 8 th , 9 th and lOth classes and marks should award for this
subject.
Reena Boara, a consumer activist:from Assam,
suggested
that
legal
cells
should
be
started
in the meeting
to
assist
the
'
Protect~on
77
Bains,
Punjab
alerted
spreading
ro~umer
the
that
media
consumer
activist,
be made a
the
should
movement
be
and
used
extensively
education.
for
Mandana,
compulsory
subject and be
brought under
the
20-point
funding
from
the
Consumer
Welfare
Fund
should
be
made
"ailable to the State Government f6r the conversion of the parttime District Fora into
Supreme Court.
full-time
as
the
into the CDRAs is preventing the functioning of these Fora and the
system of appointing
judicial officers
on
these Fora
should
be
the
functioning
of
the
Fora
which
will
delay
the
disposal of complaints.
Dubey, Saroj was of the view that the Fora were not working
as claimed by the state governments.
different places in the district.
the orders of the CDRAs,
hence the
defeated.
that
She
suggested
if
very purpose of
the
Fora
function
the Act
like
is
'Lok
78
but not
politicians.
Jayant
Kumar
Mitra
pointed
out
that
the
Indian
civil
are
being
appealed
against
in
the
High
Courts.
State
Governments should ensure that the State Commission and the Fora
are easily accessible to the consumers.
Nath,
Public
Surendra,
commission
Utilities
electrici ty,
Governor of
communications etc.
Punjab supported
because
many
the
idea
complaints
of
on
it.
Nahata,
~e
the
Amrit,
~lpractices
and
manufacturers
should
refrain
from
repeating
(1994)
it was
revealed that a total number of 4291 cases were filed before the
National Commission since its inception from December, 1988 till
31.12.1993.
Of
these
petition 864
first
2593
appeal
1238
revision
original
petition) and
1698
filed before the State Commissiors and Fora out of which 202,923
79
Augumenting
the
staff
of
the
National
and
State
Commissions
2
Appointment
of
full
time
members
to
the
National
and
State Commissions
3
Including the
expenditure
for
the
CDRAs
as
"Plan
expenditures"
7
8
The
Commission
~stice
this
felt
new
that
system
it
of
is of
paramount
administration
of
80
l.3.3
Morris 41
h~~tion"
(1980)
in
book
his
"Economics
of
Consumer
Also an
ootline of the relevant context of the various Acts and Codes for
oouumer protection and their effects on the economic interests of
consumers is given in this book.
Sarwate
alerted
the
marketing,
consumers
~gree
42
(1980)
in his article
consumer
community
adulteration,
to
shed
their
against
short-weight
passi vi ty
exploitation
etc.
and
Also
he
tolerance
by
has
and
black
called
assume
(1985)
enlightened
us
with
the
observation
of
Paul
A.
'
.i,
.
EconomIcs
emann Educational Books Ltd., 1980.
0f
t 'Ion, Heln.
Consumer P
rotec
The Illustrated
81
~
product
of
;sychological
:onditions
or
in
:ntegrated
market
education
introspective
the
consumer
received
reactions
market.
Moreover
education
some
but
connected
to
not
on
with
changed
develop
common
the
common
guidelines
and
should
be
.hen
(1986)
article
consumers
adulteration,
galvanised
price
rise,
action
into
underweight
fight
to
supplies
against
etc.
He
stated
that boycott method was very useful when the shopkeepers charged
excess prices
explained
for
the
their
consumer
Britain convincing
us
goods
and
movement
the
need
in
for
services.
The
author
u . S. A.
Canada
and
such
consumer
also
Great
movement
for
.,45
ConsumerJ.sm
sans
the
editorial
of
Southern
thrust
availability,
of
consumer
purity
and
movement
pricing
of
in
the
India
should
essential
be
on
commodities.
should
be
more
alert,
active
and
efficient
in
82
In his book on
'arket Place 11
46
lithe Consumer
Movement
Guardians
of
the
:,nsumerism in the U. S.
1 Definitions of Consumerism and dilemmas
movement
that
purport
to
purslie
faced
the
by social
interest
of
the
public.
As per
the
Directory of
International
47
(1989),
from
Australian
I.Netherlands) ,
I.O. C. U.
Consumers'
Association
Organisation
Association
Des
of
Union s
Association
(Belgium)
membership
47 Internatl.ona
.
1 Consumer Dl.rectory,
.
of Consumers Unions, Netherlands, 1989.
has
4
6 .
Mayer, Robert,
N.,
~arket
five
Consummentenbond
Consomma~eurs
Consumers
the
I
t'
1
n ernatl.ona
t he
Organisation
83
areas of work are promoting co-operation amongst members through
the exchange
9~~ing
of
the
organisations
information,
consumer
and
experiences
movement
and
representing
and
joint
nurturing
the
acti vi ties,
young
consumer
consumer
interest
at
the
rights
to
education and
to a
heal thy
concerns of the I. O. C. U.
environment -
express
the
principal
consumer Educators
(1986),
Consumer
Network
Interpol
(1981)
and
participates
with
non-member
action
groups
in
Belgium,
Research
International
Co-operati ves,
Konsument
into
Consumer
Co-operative
Geneva,
Fragor,
Alliance
Nordiska
Denmark,
Aff airs
OECD
(ERICA) ,
Committee
Ambetsmanna
Committee
on
for
U. K. ,
Consumer
Kommitten
Consumer
for
Policy,
84
"Emergence and Formation of Consumer Groups - A Perspective"
'
,
48
Pu bl lcatlon
: CERe
(1992)
has
retraced
the
development
of
The
~rl~s
author
viz.
classififed
the
consumer
movement
into
four
:960s, the movement spreading its roots during 1970s and the dawn
Janewera in 1980s with the enactment of the COPRA 1986.
The passengers and Traffic Relief Association (PATRA) 1915,
.as the first known collective body of consumers in India formed
.ith a
view
~assengers
to
ameliorate
Women
Graduate
the
hardships
Union,
1915
was
faced
:)y
railway
formed
to
provide
Women I s
:o-operative
:onsumer
Indian
Stores
(lAC)
(1956)
(1917)
Association
(TUCS)
were
(1947),
the
the
the
other
benefit
of
women.
Triplicane
Urban
Indian
consumer
Association
groups
of
emerged
Charitable
Trust
(1960)
in
Gujarat,
Jyoti
Sangh
~uidance
Society of India
(1966),
Despositors Association
Consumer . Association
(1969)
were
(AIBDA)
the
(1966),
(1968)
and Surat
Voluntary
Consumer
the
CGSI
made
its
impact
nationally
and
In
inter-
48Mukherjee P.D., Emergence and Formation of Consumer Groups Perspecti ve, Consumer Education and Research Centre, Ahmedabad,
1992.
.~
85
~ooally
The
mo,
Visaka
Consumers
Grahak Panchayat
I~)
Consumer
Council
(AGBP)
established
Services
Society
started in 1973,
set up in 1976,
in
1979,
(KCSS)
Trichy
formed
Akhil
in
Bharatiya
District
Consumer
Council
in
1978
and
Grahak
Panchayat
(1977)
made
quite
an
The CERC,
in Consumer
Protection
Programme
for
the
year
1990
from
the
Government of India.
In the eighties a
Jagrut Grahak
Consumer
started
Education
in
1980,
Centre
Consumers
established
Forum
in
setup
1982,
in
the
Consumer Education
of them
1980,
Voluntary
(VOICE),
the
for
Human
Guidance Society
shown their
Settlerr,ent
(1984),
ability
and
Environment
in. pushing
forward
the
(1984),
(1985),
cause
Consumer
etc.
of
have
consuming
mass.
In 1990s a concerted effort to have a unified approach was
found and as a
Tami!
Nadu
(FEDCOT),
was
established
in
1991
and
Gujarat
State
March
1990,
(CICO)
was
Federation
of
the
formed
Consumer
86
GDr<j
provide
49
(1990)
adequate
~l~sia.
highlighted
resources
to
the
the
need
[or
consumer
the
Government
associations
as
to
in
and
for
related expenditure.
out
their
renting out
secretarial
and
other
Study Groups
and
The
Consumer
Association
in
Poland
were
reinforce
sound
pointed
desparate without
priorities
and
out
that
having
lack
the
Indian
Consumer
consistent approach
of
intra-association
Movement
and
is
well-defined
communication.
to Sources of
Consumer
Information" 50
enumerated
49
Garg,
O.P,
Consumer Protection Act, 1986, With State Rules,
Vinod Publishing House, Delhi, 1990.
50 shah ,
Pri tee
(Ed. ) ,
A Guide to Sources of Consumer
Information, CERC, Ahmedabad, 1991, p.116-152.
87
~he
various ministries of
~inistry
of
Distribution
~
Civil
(2)
Environment
Supplies,
Consumer
They are
Affairs
and
Forests
(4)
Raja
Ram
Mohan
(3)
(I)
Public
Ministry
Roy
Library
Foundation etc.
Voluntary Organisations, having a legal status permitting the
entrustment of public funds, with non-political, non-official and
non-proprietory
management,
working
for
the
promotion
and
y~ars
from the date of its registration are eligible for the financial
assistance from the Ministry of civil Supplies,
Consumer Affairs
ag~ncies
which
Agency
of
Churches
(CIDA) ,
(ACC),
Common
Canadian
Wealth
International
Foundation
(U K) ,
for
India
E. V
and
(EZE)
Bangladesh
Non~egian
(Germany),
(IDRC),
(New
High
Commissioner
Zealand),
of
International
Trust,
New
(New
88
The Workshop
';oluntary
on
Management
organisations
51
and
(1993)
Resource
organised
Mobilisation
jointly
by
for
Baroda
:itizens Council, United Way of Baroda and Action Aid India during
June 1993
has
brought
out
the
major
problems
related
to
the
It
informations.
Du b ey
SaroJ. .l.n
Consumer Protection
t he
M
'
52
eetl.ng
XIII
Council
suggested
the
(1993)
that
of
the
financial
grantee
Central
assistance
organisations
would
Baju
53
(1992)
found
that
only
per
cent
of
51
89
per cent got grants from the Government of India, Ministry of Food
iln<1
civi 1 suppli.or;
sources
as
,l1H1
United
Foundations,
ilIlOU1('r
Nations
Fredrich
!J('["
Development
Naumann
Programme,
Foundation
etc.
His
the
Ford
study
also
in :Kerala
was
before 1986.
Darley and Johnson
Comparison
of
54
Consumer
(1993)
Attitudes
toward
Consumerism
in
Four
Developing Countries"
attitudes
Kenya.
toward
consumerism
in
Singapore,
India,
Nigeria
and
study
emphasized
attitudes
of
the
need
variety
of
for
research
consumers
in
examining
developing
countries.
"A Dlrectory
.
.
.
.
Vo 1 untary Consumer Organlsatlons
ln
In d'la 55
Darley,
William and Johnson,
Denise,
M,
Cross-National
Comparison of Consumer Attitudes toward Consumerism in Four
Developing Countries - Journal of Consumer Affairs, Vol.27, No.l,
1993, p.37-53.
55 A Directory of Voluntary Consumer Organisations in India,
Consumer Education and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, 1993.
90
over
the
groups
states
West Bengal 4
group~.which
35
consumer groups,
The survey
further revealed that 78 per cent of the consumer groups have come
into existence after
1980 whereas
13
per cent of
the
consumer
data
regarding
financial
of the
resources
consumer
is
groups
dismal
had
less
which
than
~.30,000/-.
~.10
to
~.100
91
No
consumer
laboratory
in
group
India.
had
its
Only CGSI
own
had
full
some
fledged
testing
testing
equipment
and
56
(1994)
in
his
article
"What
restricts
Voluntary
Institute
of
Public
roluntary
organisation
entity set up by a
Co-operation
is
often
and
Child
interpreted
Development,
as
an
"organised
the
people
of
self-reliant manner,
needs and
also
to
locality
to
undertake
partially or wholly,
bring
them
and
the
acti vi ties
in
public
sector
extension
Kumar, Vinod,
spreading f as t?" ,
1994, p.30-32.
92
"Women of India ::icle (author
'!
unknown)
about how a
national
56"
'(1990)
is an
forests,
"Economically,
she
is
vulnerable,
afraid
of
.:sing her \'vork in a labour - surplus economy if she asks for any
'::e than
she
gets.
:::acks, to illness,
Physically
she
is
vulnerable
to
sexual
to overwork.
,::h crushing
conditions
only
because
of
her
deep
faith,
::mge, her love for her family and her indomitable will.
She is
i~ak
:~ing
;!r
her
social weakness
requires
However,
she
be
individually.
She
::aws on her inner resources in the rare cases when she tries to
::sert and to organise".
wolgast
57
tended to be dominant.
Kelley58 (1973) has edited a book "New Consumerism Selected
:eadings" which is a
collection of
select
articles
56A
"Women of India - Power from Togetherness" ;:l.XXXVI, No.12, March, 1990, p.2-3.
by
renowned
Social Welfare,
93
deans and professors detailing the history of consumerism tracing
the 20
th
century movements
and
movement, 1930 to World War 11" brought out the significant role
played
by
women
for
consumer
th
protection.
labour
unions,
educational
time-saving
The
to
Institutions,
business
agencies
and
addition
to
publishing
according to Beem.
the
'Journal
of
Home
Economics'
(NAC)
to educate
and
represent
consumers
and
to
gain
official
59
the
the
buying
function
as
consumer
is
indomitable
controls
the
consumer
expenditure
and
indices.
the woman's
indisputable
Food,
function.
as
clothing
she
and
Scott, Rosemary,
'The Female Consumer',
Programmes, London, 1976.
Associated Business
94
household and chemist. goods and decisions
in the
So the author
alerts
again
the
~thout
consumer
marketing
industry
to
think
because
De
Souza,
Alfred
60
(1980)
sought
to
draw
the
traditional
The author
stated
that all over the world women are denied equal access with more
o~ortunities
education,
os
for
growth
and
social
development
extensive
character
personal
of
discrimination
society,
the
house-\vork and
because
of
conditions
In India there
the
of
in
sex
segregated
pOverty
and
the
in
Kerala
were
exceptionally
previleged
their
because
of
participation
The
in
the
of
light
of
prevailing
social
norms
away
traditional
from
division
the
attitude
between
'male'
of
and
and
accepted
modes
jobs
and
the
were
not
De Souza, Alfred,
\Jomen in contemporary India and South Asia,
Hanohar Publications, New Delhi, 1980.
95
:na~
type of employment.
~oold
engage
in
activities
outside
the
home
and
they
saw
but
also
opined
that
:iberate women,
enlightened
in
but
female
family.
The
education
a
strong
leadership
by
author
itself
mass-based
would
J .Murickan
be
was
not
movement
able
to
in
this
enough
to
organised
by
provide
women
61
(1981)
\wmen's movements
century.
has
in
traced
India
historical
from the
late
development
19
th
to
the
of
the
mid
20
sharp contrast
th
women I s
movement
could
be
classified
as
in
The
bourgeois
Great Britain.
Bourgeois
feminist
movements
composed
of
While
working
and wages.
Even
if
India
has
61 Everett,
Matson,
Jana,
Woman and Social Change in India,
Heritage Publishers, New Delhi 1981.
96
~egalistic
of
leaders
including
of
reform
legislators
Prime
Minister
and
the
was
not
pinpointed
the
reasons
for
the
low
status
of
.omen in India as the lack of efforts to reach the common mass and
expand the narrow social base of the women's movement, replacement
of women labourers by men because of industrial rationalisation,
the population pressures, dismissal of women by employers to avoid
?ayment of maternity
illiteracy etc.
benefits,
the
higher
percentage
of
female
to
Subbamma
62
(1985)
the
very
first
women's
called
India
Women's
Conference.
They
foreign goods,
dissociation
All
the
Radicals,
Communists,
Later after
Kissan - Group
the
and
a society
Sterling
97
Kiran
63
~I~ia"
;irls in
ruling
:raining.
They
~ater,
the
were
joint
:iscouraged
!,ccording
families
entitled
family
independence
to
the
received
to
administrative
the
system with
and
same
the
reasons
military
education
consanguinity
initiation
author
and
of
the
for
in
female
the
as
boys.
the
male,
members.
continuous
Dey, Flora
64
e:nployed women'.
are cooking
endorsed
in
their
:urther revealed
~greed
that
the
that
their
fact
that
attitude
more
wi ve,s
than
work
majority
towards
50
because
per
of
the
cent
of
men
wife's
of
are
still
role.
She
husbands
have
financial
necessities.
::ven if their earnings are necessary for the family welfare and
:ontributions to
the
family
budget,
the
house - hold
duties
are
63
Devandra,
Kiran,
Books, Delhi, 1985.
S~,akti
64
98
Table 3.4
Opinion of husbands regarding household tasks
Tasks
1 Cooking
Bed Coffee
76
Breakfast
72
Lunch
77
Tea
68
Dinner
70
Washing Clothes
68
Washing Dishes
79
~1oping
74
the floor
Dusting
52
Highdusting
40
62
52
3 Ironing
4
Shopping
5 Gardening
18
5
32
99
6 Care of Children
f?Cb
c,V
Teaching
27
(Y
Bathing
52
Feeding
56
31
40
38
The book on
"Women's Studies
Some perspective,,65
(1986)
to
JOok is based on
be
incorporated in the
social
sciences.
the S. N. D. P Women's
':niversity.
~vorkshop
~,ow
studies
of
women's
can
lead
to
This
understanding
the
are
place
(1)
of
.omen in our society (2) how this can build up an awareness of the
social processes that inhibitor enhance women's potentialities,
:he extent
of
oppression
and
subordination
and
their
reasons,
their
situation.
The
for
:0
restructuring
of
:onference on women's
women's
studies
status.
in 1981,
Since
the
first
National
incorporation of women's
Later at
65Krishna Raj, Mai threyi, Women's Studies in India - Some Pers:ectives, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1986.
100
:je meeting
of
experts
on
women's
studies
and
social
sciences
should
be
taken
Women
'ystificd.
that
sLudies
they
are
misrepresented
:;LarL
Lo
1t.-1V('
not
or
Llle
wi Lit
:onsumption
;roup.
and
Kassarjian
explained
behaviour
They
found
'bread-\vinner" ,
the
that
66
the
pattern
that
(1987)
most
of
in
influential
an
typically
decision-maker
their
individual
men
on
have
the
the
roles
of
10usehold items.
In
is
the
in
the
family
role
of
the
of
tyres,
Women generally
cook,
house
keeper
homes
it
the
(1988)
is
and
'Consumer
group
purchase
book
decision-maker
on
not
bothered
"Gender Justice".
about
issues
of
"Sexual
equality"
and
66
Bennet, Peter,
D,
and Kassarjian,
Harold,
H,
Consumer
Behaviour, Prentice Hall of India Pvt., Ltd., New Delhi, 1987.
101
of
inequuli ty were
~women
:actors
such
as
interests,
education,
Other
aspirations
and
68
in India" which is a
M~nised
Wome~ls
Movement
women's movement
country.
from
Indira
ew~ated
the
east
Jaising
in
development
1975-1984/85.
She
to
west
her
of
and
article
law
criticised
north
"The
relating
to
south
Legal
to
the
Structure"
women
disappointingly
the
of
during
orthodox
bill saying that the divorced woman would be looked down on by the
society resulting in the premature death of the bill.
The author
~~essive
pinpointed
the
fact
that
the
traditional
and
the
Equal Remuneration
Act
(ERA)
1976,
.69
Sumatl
Status
(1991)
is
of
Women
an
article
Requires
which
Greater
examines
Attention I
the
by
quantitative
Greater
102
:eflected in the 1991 cens'ls results.
~~~t
of
~~~ing
women's
lit
dCy
are
encouraging
~hind
as
the
with
vlell
this fact.
The female
improved by 10
trend
while
Therefore
1981-91.
I
Consumer Awareness
A Survey'
70
(1992)
was
bAsed on
the
It was found
that 10 per cent of rural and 78 per cent urban respondents were
aware of ISI marks.
90 per cent of the rural respondents were ignorant about all their
rights
as
re~ondents
consumer
and
only
around
60
per
cent
of
urban
The results
of
the
urban
respondents
have
never
heard
of
consumer protection laws, while 2 per cent of the rural and 10 per
cent of the urban respondents were aware of the COPRA, 1986.
~~ors
suggested
that
there
is
an
urgent
need
to
The
educate
103
Ra]Ok umarl071
:iscriminations
,tressed
the
;tudies.
It
:evelopment
~M~ment
homen'
to
is
has
which
need
to
thrown
women
change
of
light
have
this
collection
aspects
of
women,
to
been
the
subjected
situation
essays
such
as
the
actual
work of
The physical,
legal
and
spiritual
has
various
employment,
education
'Educating
should
community
development
and
women's
the
education,
women's
and
through
concerning
i~vitable
pressures
that
lith the
(1992)
of
begin
itself.
women
is
They should
learn
to
fight
for
their
rights
and
should
to take action
the
against defaulters
at
time
of
p:-e-purchase,
and
edited by Chetna
Economic
72
(1992)
Dimensions
of
Women's
contains articles,
papers,
Development'
discussions
from
21
to
25
June,
1982
which
was
organised
by
the
-------------------------------------------------------
7lChandrasekar,
Raj kumari
(Ed. ) ,
National Development - A Perspective I , !:el-lDelhi,1992.
72Kalbagh, Chetana,
'Social and Economic Dimensions of Women's
Development I - Discov:ery Publishing House, New Delhi, 1992.
104
~wciation
one
third
of
its
the world's
work
force,
population
they
put
in
and
nearly
world"s real
prevailing
in
the
estate.
world
This
which
shows
should
the
lead
unjust
to
an
situation
attempt
to
Islam
the
A study
author
of
describes
the
Muslim Women
the
discrepancy
women.
As
result
of
in
an
Urban
between
the
socio-cul tural
and
economic
for
personal
employment,
life.
An
growth
marriage
important
and
and
step
social
family,
to
improve
development
professional
the
position
in
and
of
women amongst Muslims is to break the vicious circle of. poverty and
high fertility;
in
105
The book
,<un
' d'Ita an d
Nee 1 am 73
(1987 ) a
written by
survey on
the
Adult
;~ternpts
of
Education
Programme,
the Government
3tudy aims
to
throw
:lassifying
the
to raise
light
indices
is
on
of
the
one
the
of
status
Socio-Economic
class,
rural
urban
and occupation.
progressive
of women.
emancipation
status
the
of
women
into
This
by
social,
background,
marital
status,
for
the following:
By
caste
and
class
women
of
lower
strata
are
more
The
greater
affairs
involvement
suggests
important.
that
of
the
women
role
of
with
housewife
household
is
more
the
' nothing'
'Something and
106
The impact of voluntary organisations would be more fruitful
ifiliey provide 'legal' and 'functional' literacy to women.
The social status of lower class women is
their rnari tal
not affected by
full recognition and should be paid minimum wages for i t and the
women should learn the techniques of time savings for structuring
of daily routine.
Neha1
74
(1993)
gives an insight
in
into
his
the
article
mental
"Drums,
state
of
resignation
pivotal component.
In a
.. ay out?
According
to
the
theory
of
Learned
Helplessness
the
She begins to
believe
that she cannot escape abuse and have only themselves to blame.
74
~ew
Ashraf, Nehal
"Drums, Donkeys and Women? " - Social Welfare,
Delhi,Vol.XXXIX, No.11-12, February-March 1993, p.10-ll.
saraswat2
i;omen" has pinpointed the factors responsible for the gap between
:he enactment
7he factors
and
enforcement
dealing
social
legislation
for
women.
(2)
of
with
welfare
women
demonstrated
also
their
social
traditional
and
norms
posed
tough
and challenges.
Fundamental
counter the
changes
effects
of
in
the
social
es lablished
system
double
are
standards
required
to
applied
to
The
confusing
encouraging
women's
participation
in
N~
108
Educution for women
ill order
to
teuch
them ubou t
their
clause to
the
Voluntary
Organisations
should
be
entrusted
with
the
Financial
independence
for
girls
could
be
ensured
by
to accept
Focus
on
Women',
an
article
written
by
Suneeta
76
(1993)
The
In our family
and
age
at
marriage
of
the
These
female.
the
family
is
enhanced
decision-making
in
the
when
family.
women
But
the
gain
linkages
The heaJ..th
participation
female
in
the
in
Indian
social Welfare,
New
109
;ociological
framework
is
seen
in
the
traditional
role-loving,
an individual.
;repare her
for
Our
focus
ta sting
the
should
fruits
be
of
on
dev,
the
girl
pment
child
in
to
free,
In a vast countl
I<anyakumari and
~ealthy
ta~
highlighted
in
"Life
Insurance
Consumers
Hand
Book" 77
on female
life.
Subsequently
it
was
decided
to
Women are
exposed
to
(2)
As
many
due to the death of a woman (3) Medical examination may not reveal
past illness effectively
(4)
Deaths
of women
due
to
presumably
dowry problems.
It is surprising to note that the LIC excluded female lives
from the eligibility to term insurance till
the intervention of
77M ac h'lraJu,
,
k,
Appa Rao,
Ll' f e Insurance : A Consumers Han db 0 0
Consumer Education and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, 1993.
110
Another case of sex discrimination by LIC was enearthed in
:EHS und Manjulaben Parmar Vs
It was on
sex
i~ffvention
discrimination
was
brought
to
light
due
to
the
Thus
her
by way
husband
of doul::le
accident
nd
day.
the
benefit was
90 days of
the
?ursual of CERC, Ahmedabad the LIC paid her Rs.35,000/- but the .'. . IC
~as
Another
woman should
on the staircase or
This is on the assumption that the Indian husbands and in-laws kill
.ife or daughter-in-law for insurance money
(Kashmiraben Vs LIC).
III
~:.ese
are
:xercised
the
by
clearcut
the
examples
Government
of
discriminatory
agencies.
Moreover,
practices
women
were
restrictive
Semi-Government or commercial
conditions,
are questionable
firms
in
of Repute.
the
redressal
:0
(1994)
in his
research on
"Social
Stratification
~ilie
~nalysis
relating
to need
Social class-wise
The
durables is
ta~en
,79
J os h l.
iiith one
purchaser-role
in
the
purchase
of
consumer
(1994)
based on her
school- going
child
studies on 100
from
Haryana
State
e~rloyed
women
working
women
generalisations
decision making
and
their
related
to
participation
the
in
role
of
various
women
in
activities
Social
112
:: their
:~minating
age,
role
education,
in
income
decision
and
making
personality
and
less
playing
participation
a
in
them
:ecision making.
~xtent
higher
status
in
the
family
and
freedom
of
. education of children,
saving,
:ob related
age
middle
heal th and
group
women
family
planning and
participating
less.
time,
religions,
are pathetically
Chapter 4
4.1
lnterests by
fulfilled
its obligation
enacting
enough
and
more
important
among
them
are:
to
prot'ect consumer
legislative
measures
from
time to time.
4.1.1
Most
Act,
The
1937 empowers
Agricultural
Produce
the Government to
lay
~ert,
and
atta, rice,
honey.
The
spice,
enforcement
authorities
under
the
Act
are
food adulteration is
4.1.2
Indian
Standards
(Certification
Marks)
Act,
1952
aims
at
Standards (BIS)
was
Act, 1986.
Bureau
The
set
standards of products
'IS!' Narks are
grant~d
up
has
on
under
the
several
the basis
Bureau
of
laboratories
of which
to the producers.
Indian Standards
for
licences
testing
to
use
the
the
114
U.3
The
Prevention
of
Food
Adulteration
Act
aims
(1954)
to
:auIteration
and
;eop1e.
The
curb
to
state
and
ensure
Family
for
consume
adulterated
widespread
sale
are
of
is
empowered
the
evils
wholesome
enforcement of
Welfare
food
under
the Act.
nodal
agency
of
the
It
food
to
the
Act
to
r1inistry of
to
ensure
the
the
the
Governments
remedy
at
edible
oil
distributed
by
the
Public
U.4
of production,
1955 provides
The
and
subsequent
maintenance
Amendment
of
in
supplies
1980
of
to
prevent
essential
black
commodities
4.1.5
Standards
of
Weights
and
Measures
Act,
1976
aims
at
the
Units,
approval
of
prototypes
of
weighing
and
measuring
115
4.1.6
.~s
cnl1ctcd
r:actices.
to
cnyuirc
into
lIIollojJolistic
LIne]
trildc
MRTP
reach
Commission
of
being
consumers.
located
The
Act
in
Delhi
remained
distinguishes
itself
far
by
4.2
402.1
Redressal Machineries
gation and
Registration
failed miserably
to keep
and
(DGIR)
its
Director
with
pace with
its
the
General
"Free
ever
legal
mounting
of
Investiaid
cell"
complaints
116
Table 4.1
Details of complaints/enquiries conducted and disposed of
by the M R T P C
Restrictive Trade
Practices
Details of Cases
Details of Cases
Year Particulars
1986
1987
1988
Opening
balance
Received
Complaints
189
550
198
541
96
333
144
285
Enquiries
179
229
125
283
89
256
87
250
Complaints
541
1376
584 1333
285
1549
Enquiries
283
1665
258
512
1333
1639
1626
818
480
3343
5939
Complaints
Enquiries
Total
Percentage
1130
456
818
842
615
427
4703
34.91 65.09
513 1321
155
615
704 2243
277
765
1880 5487
25.52 74.48
117
The Table revealed that the number of complaints and cases pending
disposal were increasing simultaneously.
but
the
public
ervices, and
sector
omission
units
including
regarding
the
banking
procedure
o-operati ve
and
for
insurance
filing
of
or
the
consumer
organisations
unethical
trade
never
practices
of
galvanised
into
businessmen
or
4.2.2
The
Telephones,
such as
redressal
Insurance
MRTP
machineries
Companies
Commission
and
set
etc.
the
and
up
by
the
redressal
Department
of
the
Railways,
agencies
Administrative
Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) set up in 1985 were not able
to secure consumer protection because of the inordinate delay
in
disposal of complaints.
The
Department
Grievances (DARPG)
of
Administrative
Reforms
and
Public
the details
118
Table 4.2
Number of Complaints
Disposed of
Year
Received
No.
1975
12,27,691
Percent
10,07,724
82.08
1976
9,13,687 .
8,26,422
90.45
1977
9,75,606
9,32,802
95.61
1978
10,64,030
N.A
1979
10,44,198
N.A
1980
11,63,959
N.A
1981
12,49,024
9,31,617
74.59
1982
11,94,973
9,80,878
82.08
1983
11,40,024
9,30,472
81.62
1984
9,49,348
8,68,628
91.49
1985
N.A
N.A
1986
N.A
N.A
1987
N.A
N.A
1988
12,34,341
9,95,323
80.64
1989-90
12,69,510
10,61,239
83.59
119
The table revealed that the statistics for the years 1978, 1979 and
l~O
are partly missing and for 1985, 1986 and 1987 the details are
a complete blank.
jovernment
Body
for
the
common
cause
of
consumer
protection
is
approach and did not provide for speedy redressal to the agrieved
consumers.
and
service
undertakings.
Moreover,
they
failed
to
create
The
root
cause
of
this
is
over- -centralisation
of
Even
though
the
Third
legislation
with
overall
supervisory
powers
over
the
only in 1986
by
bureaucrats
and
public
servants.
4.3
conditions
1986
of
is
landmark
consumers
with
in
its
the
field
important
of
socio-economic
provisions
for
120
l)
It is
~~oo
court fee and prolonged litigation which is not available under any
other Act.
b)
has
It
provided
an
elaborate
three-tier
quasi-judicial
whereas
other
redressal
machineries
like
city
MRTP
limit the
c)
The
Act
covers
all
goods
and
services
including
banking,
supply of electrical
amusement
or
the
purveying
of
news
or
other
information, but does not include the rendering of any service free
of charge.
d)
The Act
aggrieved
provides
consumers,
for
remedy
vlhereas
in
by
way
other
of
compensation
legislative
to
the
measures
the
never
implemented
4.3.1
Central
Consumer
121
lne in each state,
for
consumer
:ights.
Central
oo~irting
Consumer
Protection
Council
is
the
apex
body
jetail matters
relating
to
consumer
problems,
so
that
redressal
Protection
by
Councils
notification
at
issued
the
by
State
the
level
respective
are
state
4.3.2
122
4.3.3
be
the
president.
person
who
is
or
has
one of whom
been
or
is
the Forum.
other
two
members
shall
be
persons
of
ability,
have
shown
capacity
in
dealing
with
problems
relating
to
4.3.4
CDRAs
various
political parties
3
of
tribunals
law"
and
society
that
quasi-judiciary
decision -makers
bodies
should
in
be
the
courts,
unbiased
and
impartial.
3"Appointment to Consumer Forums:
Hindu, 23, October 1991, p.3.
UDF
stand
criticised ",
The
123
The existing system in India does not secure independence of
the
personnel
Departments
of
consumer
of
Food
and
adjudicating
civil
agencies
Supplies.
The
from
existing
the
system
the
the
quasi-judicial
bodies
have
been
kept
in
state
their
separate
independence.
Directorate
of
There
Consumer
was
Affairs
move
in
for
the
a view to
setting
Civil
of
up
Supplies
a
view to
ensure
that
without
the
fear
or
persons
favour
appointed
they
perform
should
be
judicial
appointed
in
4.3.5
Infrastructural Facilities
equipments,
' ,
6
l 1 tlgants
staff,
Fora.
George,
stationery
and
library
Baju
facilities
(1992),
and
recommended
facilities
that
for
sufficient
be provided
in the
staff,
"Boost
to
Consumer
October I, 1991, p. 4 .
Movement" ,
Common Cause,
protection
Vol.X
No.4,
124
Infrastructural facilities
staff,
library
and
grants
in terms of
should
be
billing,
sine-qua-non
secretarial
for
granting
the Fora has brought about evils of its mm which shall be put to
an end as early as possible.
4.3.6
4.3.7
Procedural Justice
The procedure
to
be
followed
14
respectively.
and
and
of
the
Central
and
State Governments
Summoning
and
enforcing
personal
attendance
of
any
defendant or witness
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
125
Thus the proceedings under COPRA remain free from technicalities in cases other than the six mentioned U/S 13 (4).
This indicates that there is no legal requirement that the
pleadings
should
be
in
particular
form.
There
are
no
legal
by
the
CDRA
at
cost
of
sent to an appropriate
the
complainant.
The
complaint.
the facts.
cross examine.
appear in person,
made
applicable
specifically.
But,
unfortunately,
not
the
technicali ties prevailing in the civil courts have crept into the
proceedings
before
CDRAs
leading
to
delay
and
abuse
of
the
redressal system.
National
PRIVATE
Commission
LIMITED'
(1993)8
in
'N.K.HODI
has
held
that
VS
FAIR
the
AIR
Consumer
ENGINEERS
Disputes
126
Redrcssal Agencies are not judicial bodies.
As widely perceived,
flexibility
in
procedure
Seems
to
have
downgraded
the
the orders, the proceedings under the contempt of Court Act can be
initiated.
the
4.3.8
As
standi
defined
under
the (right
section
2 (l) (b)
to complain) to a
the Act
consumer,
provides
numerous
locus-
consumers
point in this
regard
is
that
person who
definition
services
of
rendered
consumer.
free
of
Another
charge
or
controversy
under
is
contract
that
of
the
personal
In essence
127
commercial
instance,
purpose
ramain
commercial
outside
the
ambit
undertukings arc
of
allowed
the
to
CDRA.
file
For
disputes
banking,
insurance
resale
are
not
entertained
at
the
Fora.
Such
jurisdiction
in
respect
of
disputes
relating
to
Regarding the
of
Gujarat
unfair
State
trade
practice
Commission
held
as
per
that
the
Section
Commission
the
would
not
logically
this
decision
is
not
correct
as
unfair
commercial
purpose.
The
practice
National
relates
deficiency of
Commission
not
services
only
to
hired. 10
had
clarified
purchase
This
of
order
that
goods
is
not
unfair
but
used
trade
also
by
to
the
CDRAs.
128
party to the proceedings and not a
who is
the
real
Adul teration
Commodities
Act,
Act
complainant.
Weights
etc.
and
were
Similarly
Measures
amended
the
Act,
to
Prevention
HRTP
provide
Act,
of
Food
Essential
locus-standi
to
legis~ative
measures.
The VCOs can make use of this opportunity for public interest
litigation than protecting private rig; ts.
State
complaints
and
Central
in the CDRAs
protection.
Governments
being the
are
also
guarantors
of
able
to
public
file
interest
4.3.9 Jurisdiction
general
the
value
of
goods
and/or
services
is
to
be
decided on the basis of value of goods and services and the amount
of compensation.
lilt'
[or this
ground of
pecuniary
stage of
proceedings,
appellate stage.
jurisdiction
failing
should
\vhich
it
be
raised
cannot
be
in
the
raised
early
at
the
129
The
territorial
jurisdiction
to
entertain
Cl
complaint
U/S
11(2) of the Act has been dealt with in three provisions which are
almost
identical
Accordingly
to
suit
the
Section
against
an
20
of
civil
ordinary
Procedure
trader
as
well
Code.
as
defects in goods
deficiency in services
4.3.9.1
Defects in goods
be
instituted
as
cases
under
unfair
trade
practices.
130
Deficiency in Services
4.3.9.2
Service
comfort.
resul t
has
become
an
integral
part
of
modern
living
deficiency
in
services.
The
Act
injury as
service
as
definer
As
such
almost
all
service-provid:
with
potential
-underLakings
are
amenable to CDRA.
A matter
rendering
of
of
-my
concern
service
is
that
service
does
free
of
charge or
not
under
include
the
contract of
services,
the
Indians
crisis
even
are
is
if
compelled
injury occurs,
to
undigestible.
seek
free
Thus,
at a
services
service
owing
facility,
to
financial
in
fact,
is
As
result,
for majority of
Indians
in a
social
welfare state like India receiving free services cannot get justice
when providers of service cause injury or loss to poor Indians.
Services
excluded u/s
rendered
2(1)(0)
under
contract
of
personal
service.
service
is
The clause
neither
master-servant
In the case of
relationship
contract for
exists,
nor
131
e. g.
in government hospitals.
service
of
personal
nature from
its
ambit.
But
the
the
but
companies
the
and
pharmaceutical
other
industry,
ancilliary
industries
the
medical
also.
11
equipment
There
is
an
under
duty
to take
reasonable
care
to
12
132
since
following
the
District Fora,
same
the
procedure
scrutiny
of
evidence
and
In U.K and the U. S patients approach the civil Court if they are
dissatisfied with a medical practitioner because they have no other
13
'
op t lon.
4.3.9.3
use
services,
10).
1969.
supply
of
any
goods
or
for
the
provision
of
any
(1 to
almost unused.
successful
ooly if CDRAs are equipped with the powers to issue interim orders.
Even though the CDRAs can issue cease and desist orders
the same manner
as
under
Section
36
D of
the
MRTP
Act,
in
in
the
CDRAs
immediate effect.
Ln
Another
unfair
trade
practice
shown
~ich
can
case
consumer
Surprisingly
one cannot
respect of services.
come under
~served
unfair
in
its
is
charging
of
excess
by
on
the
packet or
fixed
file
complaint
u/s
complain
if
excess
charge
price
law,
in
2(1)(c)(iv).
is
imposed
in
trade
Order
practices.
dated
The
National
24.4.1990
in
Commission
review
has
petition
No.3/1990 that "when there has not been any fixing of price of an
article by lavl nor a display of the price on the package containing
the goods or on the goods themselves, the Act does not comtempla te
any complaint being instituted on the ground that the price charged
for the article is excessive".
~d
and
in
local
and
rural
markets
traders
charge
prices
discriminately.
4.3.10
The
State
and
National
Commissions
have
been
vested
with
It
as a
court of original
refused
to accept
jurisdiction it is a
trial
court" .
Consequently
the
National
Commission
held
that
in
cases
1 1 tJ
by way
.
14
SUlt.
of
According
to
disposal of complaints under the Act has been laid down in Section
13 of
the
Act
proceedings
the
before
provisions
of
the National
which
are
Commission
made
by
applicable
Rule
to
of
14 (2)
the
and
(2)
involving oral
and documentary
thdt
complicated
evidence and
their
This has
of
It
is
Summary Jurisdiction.
government officials
in this
regard.
The
government
should
take
Quantum of Compensation
4.3.11
Owing
approach
of
compensation
to
the
the
conservative,
National
Commission
admissible
non-operational.
The
legalistic
to
National
with
party
CommlSSlon
and
regard
has
15
(1993),
backward-looking
Consumer
to
become
insisted
:
quantum
of
almost
that
it
is
[ 1991],
Consumer
Protection
Journal,
1)
necessary for a party to prove that due to the wrongful act of the
opposi te party he
has
suffered
actUi) 1
loss
or
in :jury.
Gran t
of
4.4
The remedies under the Act are stated U/S III (1) a, b, c and
d, (2) and (3).
b & c
Clauses a,
the Sale of
Goods
Act,
la\'1 in addition
to
those
dependent
up
on breach of
condition
or
\varranty alone.
The most
(l)d by
which
applauded
a
one
complainant
is
that
gets
mentioned
Under
compensation
for
Section
any
loss
14
or
The
award
of
compensation often
rests
upon
proving
that
4.5
Judgement Writing
Studies
specific
on
Fora
provisions
jU.dgements
with
indicated
reference
to
the
good
that,
form
the
and
absence
of
contents
of
judgement writing
has
136
for
under:
In
the
particular
case
litigation
the
judgement
The
psychological
satisfy,
the
aspect
natural
is
that
cur iosi ty
it
of
is
intended
to
the
parties
to
modify
or
aside
the
judgement
of
trial
forum if the the mental process of trial judge is intelligently reflected in the judgement.
117
the day.
The Supreme Court has observed that "The Provisions of the Act have
to be construed in favour of the consumer to achieve the purpose of
enactment
as
it
is
social
benefit
oriented
is
to
adopt
constructive
legislation.
The
approach
subject
to
that
it
(1993),
CPJ,
Chapter 5
Role of Women Inside and outside Home
5.1
~ting
child-bearing
the area
of
eiooal jobs.
Eaningful
public
relations,
personnel
management
and
in
profe-
non-market
works
to
be
8. 7
such
as
fuel
collection,
fetching
day
and
female
labour
time
as
developing
non-marketable
countries
women
work.
are
survey
responsible
.
4
rura 1 f aml. 1 les.
1
Kalbagh,
Development,
2
.
Nagara]an,
Rajkumari,
Perspecti ve ,
income
and
for
the
that
support
in
of
revealed
personality,
irrespective of their
are
playing
dominant
Chetana,
Social and Economic Dimentions of Homen's
Discovery Publishing-House, New Delhi, 1992, p.3.
139
role in decision-making due to their earning power which give them
higher status in the family. 5
tend
to
reside
nuclearly,
in
urban
Gujarat
nuc 1 ear
revealed
that
50
f aml'1'les. 6
The
reasons
per
A survey
cent
of
the
highlighted
were
the
women
have
secured an
of the family.
\vife -
nuclear families
tC) ke cC) re of
them
to
become economically
independent,
but
Decisions",
Social
6Kaur , Inderjeet, Status of Hindu Women in India, Chugh Publications, Allahabad, 1983, p.10l.
7Ibid ....
140
sex ratio
(1000
1036)
favourable
to women,
(87 per cent as against the national rate of 39.29 per cent)
higher
life
expectancy
than
men.
Yet
most
women
in
and
Kerala
and
traditional
taboos.
Only
lO
illustrated by Philip
Processor
Advertising
Media
Quali ty--------
service--------
Buyer
psyche
Family
Outputs
(Purchasing
Responses)
Product Choice
Salesmen
Acquaintances
Availabili ty---
be able
ll
Channels
Price----------
mass-based
leadership will
strong
Brand
Dealer
Quantities"
Style----------
Personal
Observations
Options--------
Frequency "
<lno Sf'lf
il11,l<)O"
11
ill
lIook
1)('
SOli:?.!,
~; (TV iCt"
l\lfn'd
(Eel.),
Nc'w De 11 d, L ~
W{JlIIC'fI
in
ConL('lII-
-n ,--t;. ij S~------------
Kelley, Eugene, J. & Lazar, William, Managerial Marketing Perspecti ves and View Points, Richard D. Irwin, Inc., Illinois,
1972, p.132.
141
"black
box"
whose
not
study
known
attempts
were
made
to
the
role
women
of
in
decision-making.
Whatever
purchases,
be
women
the
motivation,
are
mostly
the
decision-making
influenced
by
the
regarding
advertisements
can
seek
exploitation
in
remedies
the
for
market
their
place,
grievances
since
the
arising
enactment
out
of
of
the
and
Kassarjian
found
brands.
that
Women
in
homes
the
housewives
cook,
12
of
analysis
furniture
relating
to
and
need
cleaning
devices.
Social
identification revealed
class-wise
that
in upper
13
1 47.
consumer
protection.
As
Pramila
Dandvate,
eminent
social
by
the
Affairs
about
Ministry
held
in
removal
of
Delhi
of
Food,
in
Public
1990,
Distribution
women
adulteration,
should
hoarding,
be
and
more
corruption
14
The
studies
revealed
that
women
are
not
only
ignorant
of
(Johson J acob,
Employed
Housewives
Unemployed
Housewives
(Per cent)
(Per cent)
1 Right to choose
61. 53
60.00
2 Right to know
43.59
47.14
3 Right to education
10.00
0.76
4 Right to safety
41. 02
31.42
5 Right to be heard
51.42
58.97
6 Right to redressal
32.85
43.58
1 41
COJlSUI1l('r~;.
further
Moreover,
reported
that
only
14
per
cent
of
the
16
to
court
to
rights for their own well-being as they have equal status before
law.
not only have equal rights and previleges with men, but also that
the state shall make provisions--both general and special-for the
welfare of the women considering the legal
various points of view.
15
Jacob,
Johnson,
"A study on Awareness Regarding Consumer
Protection Movement among the Housewives in Kalamassery Municipality", M.S.W. Dissertation, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences,
Kochi, 1994.
l6subbamma,
Malladi,
Women - Tradition and Culture,
Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1985, p. 5.
Sterling
5.3
l\nti-women
clause
In
the
insurance
ordinary
rates
only
to
women
policy
is
glaring
with
carned
income.
Life
Shah Vs
L. I. C,
refused on the ground that death did not occur in a public place.
Gandhiji
~ual
said
"Woman is
mental capacities.
the companion
She has
5.4
man
gifted
with
of
he .... "
Even though women have overcome the gross social evils such
as 'Sati', ill-treatment of widows,
the
practice
of
polygamy,
child-marriage,
denial
of
property
they are
145
yet to overcome the hurdles of inequality and discrimination.
Even though foeticide and infanticide of female children are
oot prevalent in Kerala,
scan I
Wynad district
in Kerala,
94.2
cent
of
the
women
gender
could
hierarchy
break
it.
was
This
God
is
decided
a
and
that
revelation
to
were
not
justice.
17
no
human
the
blind
and
economic
discriminatory
practices, prevailing
in
Kerala.
The atrocities and violence against women as revealed by the
Department
of
Women
and
Child
Development,
Ministry
of
Human
every
54
minutes,
molesation
taken
place
every
26
one dowry death every 102 minutes and one act of criminal
Women in
The National
146
crime Records
Trends
revealed
and
Bureau,
in
Magnitude
an
its
of
increasing
report
cd me
trend
on
violence Against
l\gn inst
in
the
vJomen
violence
Women-
(1987-1991),19
and
a troci ties
Table 5.2
Statistics on violence against women in Kerala
No. of Victims
Year
Per cent of
------------------- increase
Atrocities
1987
1991
Rape
188
203
8.00
Eve-teasing
505
675
33.70
Molestation
488
580
18.90
120
75
-37.50
Dowry deaths
220
423
92.30
515
1409
Cruel ty by
relatives
husbands and
173.6
147
Except in the case of kidnapping and abduction there is an
alarming
~men
rate
of
increase
in
will persist till the men achieve liberation from the clutches of
the old beliefs and practices which prejudice the role of women at
home and outside.
Such a society
So
of
the
weakness
caused
by
child-bearing,
loving,
women
become
is
standing
the wife should not sit etc., are still prevalent in Kerala.
If a wife is barren the society blames her and the husband
is free to marry again.
described as
fallen
while
thus
she is a
which should act against this social evil, are not only remaining
passive,
but
indulge
in
oppressive
actions.
When
the
Marriage
148
society
resulting
in
the
premature
death
of
the
Bill.
20
The
should
comparatively
spite of the
lack of
women's
lesser
Equal
awareness
training
Remuneration Act
deliberate
organisations
discrimination. 21
to
Dey,
"working-wife families
only
Flora
(ERA),
silence
few
in Kerala"
of
have
(1986)
and
skill
1976.
the
formation
Owing
trade
complained
in
to
the
unions
and
against
this
the
'modern
employed
women'.
The
opinion
of
husbands
etc.
cleaning
are
also
and
care
of
children
considered
as
exclusively
22
such
This
as
table
bathing,
women's
tasks
endorses the
21 I b'd
1
22
149
tmvards the wife's role.
per cent
of
husbands
financial
gains.
Even
agreed
their
that
earnings
their
are
wives
necessary
work
for
for
the
Table 5.3
Opinion of husbands regarding household tasks
Tasks
Perc~ntage
Cooking
Bed Coffee
76
Breakfast
72
Lunch
77
Tea
68
Dinner
70
68
Washing Dishes
79
74
Dusting
52
Highdusting
40
62
52
150
18
Ironing
Shopping
32
Gardening
Care of children
Teaching
27
Bathing
52
Feeding
56
31
40
38
Source: Dey, Flora, M. "The changing Role of Men in the workingwife Family", M.Phil Dissertation, Mother Teresa Women's
University, Kodaikkanal, 1986.
and
Criminal
Law
(Second
Amendment)
Act,
1983,
to
implemented
properly
to
curb
the
abnormal
increase
in
the
that
resent
changes
because
are more 'socially bounded' to their old values and they are
The lack
23Mukherji, Anindi ta & Verma, Neelam, Socio-Economic Backwardin Women, Ashish Publishing House, New Delhi, 1987, p.63.
~ss
151
:f clarity in women about their status,
of
Human
Resources
Development
for
improving
the
of Women
and
Child
Development
an
effort
of the National
Commission
for
at
The
Groups
Women
(NeW) in 1992 which is the apex body for the assertion of women's
. hts. 24
rig
confined
itself
to holding
litigating
atrocities
without
body
by
taking
focussing
on
macro
up
individual
issues.
The
cases
NCW
of
became
152
i.G Women' s Movement for Consumer Protection
One cannot
negate
the
fact
that
the
consumer
protection
etc.
awareness of women
when
high meat
through
prices
they
boycotted
consumer
supermarkets
education
because of
programmes
and
have
been made
by
women
to
protect
consumer
started
with
artificial
scarcity
of
foodgrains.
Sky
poor
men.
participation
rallis
thousands
of
and
demonstrations
1974.
women I s
front
started
women
were
with
great
with
organised
which
25
enthusiased women of Baroda and Madhya Pradesh.
Later on antiprice rise
of
Militant
gusto
in
August
and previleged of
prices shot
up
annual average
all,
day
by
consumer
Kerala
day.
price
women
The
never
raised
statistics
index
during
voice when
revealed
1991
was
that
497
the
which
153
:ncreased
:993.
~ise
26
to
553
in
No women I s
1992
which
again
spiralled
up
to
597
in
in Kerala.
The anti-price rise movement of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and
~harashtra
~onsumer
in
1974
problems
died
and
a
other
protest
sudden death
movements
during
the
concerning
International
Women's Year in 1975 and the Emergency period, because during this
period the mass media,
policy makers,
on women
like
rape,
dowry-killing,
.on'd e- burnlng
.
e t c. 27
At present
there
are
28
which
are
In Kerala there is
only one such vco viz., Cochin Mahila Consumer Vijyan Kendra.
This
the
so-called
elite
voluntary activists
class
is
not
willing
to
work
as
and
financial constraints.
State
Planning
Board,
Thiruvanan-
154
Even though there are other women's
organisations
such as
Muslim
Women's
Association,
Nair
Stree
Samajam
etc.
reasons
for
this
disease
of
lethargic
and
passive
generation
will
grow
with
more
consumer
awareness
and
:esponsibili ties
Women's
~nethical
can
organisations
used
methods
by
at
sellers.
in
least
by
India,
protest
against
complaining
to
the
the
media,
mobilising
public
opinion
boycotting the
against
dangerous
products etc.
It is high time that the women's organisations came to the
rescue of consumers on par with that of the U. S .
Present
lndependent
study
and
showed
educated,
that
continue
women,
to
though
suffer.
economically
Since
it
is
the
155
Mere education is of no value for women unless they are made
~:onomically
!jd
fundamental rights.
their political,
consumer
Chapter 6
:.1 International
the world
~inpointed
the
growth
of
multinational
corporations
:onduct to
~~t,
with
protect
several
:esources
for
consumers
consumer
achieving
from
dangerous
organisations
products.
began
co-ordination
among
to
As
pool
their
consumerists
in
(OECD) ,
the
European
Consumer
Product
Safety
Bureau
European
des
Unions
de
Consommateurs
(CEC),
(BEUC) ,
European Research
:o!Il1littee
for
Consumer
:ommittee
for
Consumer
:nternational
Economic
Co-operatives,
Affairs,
and
Nordic
United
Social
Senior
Nation
Affairs
and
Officials
Department
the
of
European
157
:.1.1 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD)
OEeD Committee
?olicy officials
~eadquarters
on consumer policy is
of
the
OCED
member
countries
consumer
with
its
in France.
in the various
24
composed of
countries
and
within
international
and
regional
traders.
Also
it
publishes
reports
and
develops
This association,
set up in Netherlands,
information,
consumer
is affiliated. to
advocacy
and
also
promotes
158
.
1 Organ1sat10n
..
u n10ns
'
3
6..
0f e
onsumer
13 Internat10na
(Consumers'
Union),
U.K.
(Consumers'
Association),
and Belgium
(Association des
Consommateurs)
Australia
(Consumentanbond),
in 1960.
From
the
five founding groups it has now grown into nearly 170 groups in 58
countries.
The objectives of IOCU are:
1
information,
of
consumer
rights,
it
formed
concise
summary
of
159
:.1.4
(BEUC)
complaints
handling
and
conferences
are
the
programme
for
the
European
Economic e.ommuni ty
6.1.5
for
consumer
information
through
research
reports
and
Co-operat1ves
5Ibid , p.98
6Ibid I
160
by Governments of
:.1.6
This organisation
:or consumer
affairs
is situated in U S oA and
0
within
:onsumer Protection
(1986),
consumption
sale
Restricted
and/or
or
Not
the
U oN
The
is
responsible
U N Guidelines
has
Approved
been
by
Banned,
Governments
for
Withdrawn,
prepared
whose
Severely
by
UoN
1985, the
~eneral
7Ibid ., polOO
8The U.N Guidelines for Consumer Protection (1986)
161
According
to
Harland,
the
document
annexed
to
the
2 General Principles
3 Guidelines
and
4 International Co-operation.
They are
a EhysicaL safety
b Promotion and protection of consumers income interest
services
e Measures enabling consumers to obtain redress
f
g r-Ieasures
relating
to
specific
areas
(principally
food,
All
the
184
Governments
in
U. N
are
urged
to
"develop,
162
.
9
:.1.8 European Economic Community (EEC)
The E.E.C purports to solve
~e~mber
~ember
:0
the
common
problems
of all
of
Ministers
has
adopted
programme
The E.E.C
for
consumer
The consumers'
position
is
stengthened
enormously
by
the
and the
functions
of
movement
Oyez
Longman
163
1 In developed countries consumer movement was initiated by
women
when
become
the
economy
affluent
as
was
prospering
result
of
mass
and
when
they
production
and
education
and
movement
information.
started
with
consumer
effectively
practised
by
the
voluntary
consumer
organisations.
6 The
Voluntary
Consumer
Organisations
give
thrust
to
164
:.2 National
The movement,
seeking
to
protect
the
rights
of
consumers
::ofesses
to
~:ucation,
offer
for
litigation,
the
good
lobbying
of
etc.,
the
can
community
be
called
through
voluntary
:Jnsumer movement.
In India more than 50 per cent of the population are living
.:jer pov.erty line and 30 per cent, barely breaking-even have to
.
. t
::ncentrate on t h eJ.r
mere exJ.s
ence. 10
:.:tter off,
in
their
life
of
affluence
through
rights
inf luence
and
and
responsibili-
rights
and
responsibilities
nor
protected
from
the
important
factor
that
contributed
to
this
consumer
:iliteracy rate
(64
per
cent
as
per
the
World
Factbook
1990)
;revailing in India.
The present Indian system, with concentration of political
~()\ier
in a few hands as a
entrusted to
systematically
;rotection
of
the
politicians
misused
for
businessmen.
through
the
exploitation
Gandhiji
election
of
was
process,
consumers
always
and
afraid
is
for
of
.'nywhere? 11
165
This calls for the need of a third war of independence to
.Em in real freedom of choice, knowledge, information, redressal
I
I ::.d representation
that
should
be
fought
by
the VCOs
with
the
so that we can
(1986)
:ab1e 6.1.
Table 6.1
Table showing the year-wise distribution of voluntary
consumer organisations
-----------------------------------------------------------------State
Period of Establishment
----------------------------------Before Between
1975
86-90
Total
VCOs
1975-80
81-85
91-93
12
32
17
._.--------------------------------------------------------------!.,dhra Pradesh
:handigarh
1
~ujarat
::aryana
:imachal Pradesh
11
8
1
50
29
166
1
26
16
13
& Kashmir
::''!IffiU
arnataka
rerala
i.adhya Pradesh
1.aharashtra
:~nipur
11
?ondicherry
?~njab
11
18
~e\i
Delhi
:;issa
?ajasthan
:amil Nadu
35
;ripura
::ttar Pradesh
liest Bengal
10
1
1
16
-----------------------------------------------------------------Total
Per cent
17
37
6.64
17.45
68
119
26.56 46.48
15
256
5.86
---------------------------------------------------------------Source:
The growth of
rt~es:
the VCOs
in
India
can
be
studied
in
three
before 1960, from 1960 to 1985 and from 1986 till 1993.
167
'.2.1.1
set up
in
:.ssociation
th
with
1915
(PATRA)
century.
in
Passengers
the
Bombay
with
and
view
Traffic
to
Relief
ameliorate
the
of
:=ganisa~ion,
: regional
::i.I1luters.
the
national
outlook
character
this
of
representing
the
problems
of
Bombay
11
and
the
object
principal
:acilities for
the
all
or
any
of
expression
is
of
united
for
the
class
and
opportunities
opinion
benefit
and
community
and
concerted
welfare
of
and
of
the
This
women.
and
Business Practices I
organisation viz.,
(CFBP) .12
I
Women I s
In
Indian
1917
'Council
another
Association'
pioneer
was
for
Fair
woman IS
started
in
168
vadras with the prime objective of
bringing
together
women
and
:H1s of the middle class families who are whiling away their time
;ithout any
purpose.
for
such
.or:len.
The
'Triplicane
Urban
Co-operative
(TUCS)13
Stores
was
;olilllodities.
The Consumer
?rotection
Council
is
existence.
The
~p
in Delhi
in
in
Madras,
1956
as
an
All-India
~~e1entioned
Rajaji
backing
lAC
did
of
for
not
in
was set
Consumer
make
any
Planning
still
(1946)
Association
This
support.
Linancial
~he
by
founded
seminars I
.
.
14
C ommlSSlon.
voiced feeble
6.2.1.2
themselves.
The Bengalis'
refused to
169
:~y
fish - their staple diet - when the price of fish and staple
::od shot up
:~oducts.
in
late
Gayatri
sixties,
Ch9-ritable
which
is
Trust,
case
Gujarat
of
boycott
(1962)
and
of
Jyoti
in
the
~iucational
field
existence and
;n
protection
in
addition
to
Trust
(BCT)
persistently
established in 1963
is
in
active
in
consumer
still
protection.
The
spite of
~edress
consumer
Bombay Civil
:res~ent
of
the
organisation's
doggedly
persistent
efforts
to
synergistic
he failed miserably to
and
essential
black-marketing
and
the
war
with
commodities
food
Pakistan
and
goods
adulteration
by
vlhich
resulted
leading
dealers
to
in
rampant
acted
as
an
As
Society
of
India
(CGSI),
Baroda Citizen
(AIBDA)
and Surat
Consumer Association.
~dia
nine
was
~rganise
formed
consumers
~on-prof it,
~~cleties
by
to
protect
non-political
Registration
housewives
Act
their
to
consumer
organisation
and
the
inform,
educate
interests
registered
Bombay
Public
as
under
Trusts
and
a
the
Act. 15
15 ~engadl,
.
S'
W'1 th ou t S overelgn
.
t y,
D.B,
Consumer - A
overelgn
:~jabhau Poha1i, Nagpur, 1986, P .16-17.
170
~:e
::5 publication
~~
"Keemat"
provide informations
to the
consumers.
the
Karnataka
Consumer
Services
Society,
Visaka
Poona,
Mumbai
Grahak
Panchayat
in
Bombay,'
Trichy
Ahmedabad,
Grahak
Panchayat
in
Jamshedpur
and
Bihar
were
:stablished .
Jatonomous
UDl ts
16
the
the
(CERC)
at Ahmedabad,
Interest
Education
institute
and
was
of
Research
born
Consumer
Education
Centre, now
in
1978,
(VOICE).
recognised
has
as
The
Consumer
research
contributed
many
171
:: Consumer Education
::udents at
the
(VOICE)
Delhi
was
Uni versi ty
founded
by
Campus
in
some
the
teachers
academic
and
year
.;'3-84
..
0
17
National
Centre
for
Human
Settlement
and
Environment
::ea of
work
l:ulteration
is
and
health,
consumer
\\)rkshops/seminars,
in
environment,
advocacy.
educational
and
legal
Its
Its main
redress,
activities
promotional
food
include
talks
and
19
Its
:ausing
health
and
environment
stoppage
of
air
17 Ibid , p.19
172
Since 1986
:.:.1.3
Even
:~ctment
:::1l!on
though
of
the
number
COPRA,
(Delhi)
Cause
.
.
20
:::;anlsatlon.
,:::Josphere
the
1986,
mushroomed
by
miserably
various
friendly
VCOs
attempts
failed
The
of
of
the
organisations
to
form
organisations
indifference
after
without
central
existed
any
like
in
an
coordinated
;:: order to
coordinate
and
voice
their
opinions
against
the
(FEDCOT,
1990)
Delhi
(CICO,
1991), Gujarat
(GUSFECO,
1992)
Th0
specific
(FEDCOT)
:rganisations
. .orkshop and
programmes
training
of
the
Federation
include
holding
programmes.
The
of
seminars,
Consumer
conducting
Confederation
of
Indian
Convention
of
consumer
activists
held
in
Delhi
::Iovement.
(GUSFECO) provided a
on
issues
20 Ibid p.28
in Delhi
related
to
to work
consumer
interests
and
various
173
::. . ernment policies affecting the consumer.
I~:ch
1994,
:e~tral
the
membership
of
:.~e
is
open
to members
of
the
COPRA
and
working
are
established under
priority
campaigning,
lobbying,
::aining,
:~e
which
areas
for
information
advocacy,
U.S.,
:s~ablished
agency
prior
to
to
co-ordinate
Indian
the
independence.
activities
Even
in
our
in
VCOs,
belated
most
~-ordinating
of
21
the
states
there
are
no
well
structured
:.2.2.1
Numerical Abundance
Consumer movement
enactment of the COPRA,
in
India
1986.
:istribution of VCOs reveals that only 6.64 per cent of VCOs were
:n existence before 1975, \-,here as 17.45 per cent emerged between
:975 and 1980 and 26.56 per cent were established between 1981 and
:985.
46.48 per cent of VCOs \-,ere formed between 1986 and 1990
and after 1990 till 1993 only 5.86 per cent were established.
174
"".2.2 State-wise Growth
of
Civil
Supplies,
Consumer
Affairs
Ahmedabad
(1993)
and
Public
showed the
Table 6.2
State-wise break-up of VCOs in India
.--------------------- ------- ---- - ---- - ----- --- - -- - --- -- -- -- -- - --No. of VCOs as per the
____ 9!;~~~;J::_~~ ____________ _
States/U. T
CERC
De~a~tment
.___________________________________________________
o~
f;!;y;!;1_~EE!:!:~2
180
187
Assam
Bihar
33
26
Gujarat
79
28
Haryana
Himachal Predesh
Andaman
&
Nicobar
Andhra Pradesh
Goa
175
55
39
37
18
35
23
:4 Manipur
:s
, Orissa
30
20
.. Pondicherry
13
11
Punjab
10
10
J Rajasthan
40
38
:) Tamil Nadu
68
34
28
14
23 West Bengal
24 Chandighar
35
20
Karnataka
.. Kerala
:: Madhya Pradesh
., Maharashtra
Missorarn
:1 Tripura
22 Uttar Pradesh
25 New Delhi
-----------------------------------------------------------------507
684
Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------Table
6.2
reveals
that
these
two
records
either
show
an
difficulty
~!oreover,
mobilising
the
public
into
action
groups.
coordinating
levels.
in
machinery
for
all
the
VCOs
at
state
and
national
176
Table 6.3
Distribution of Voluntary Consumer Organisations according to
size of city/town
------------------------------------------------------------------
category of city/town
",
.t .....
Voluntary Organisations
No.
Per cent
68
,10
20
Bo~bay,
Larger Cities
481
70
-----------------------------------------------------------------Total
684
100
-----------------------------------------------------------------~urce:
177
The distribution
;,sis is not
of
the
Of
uniform.
consumer
the
684
groups
VCOs
on
an
existing
all-India
in
India
at
20 per cent
in
(Table
:ass at large
are
not
::otection as a re suI t
;oelfare state
only
a\vare
of
their
rights
and
the
need
effort
of
the
for
Being a
government
and
sponsored
jointly by
government,
23
178
..3 Functions of the VCOs
The nature of acti vi ties of most of the VCOs are complaint"lndling, education, advocacy,
table 6.4.
Table 6.4
Activity Pattern of VCOs in India (In percentage)
Activity
VCOs
Percentage
Complaint-handling
96
Consumer Education
86
Advocacy
77
Litigation
71
Media
70
Publication
46
Lobbying
43
Research
32
1993.
179
Handling
::the VCOs,
of
complaints
was
found
to be
the main
were
capable
of
increasing
function
It is true
awareness
for
social
:.3.1
Complaint Handling
Complaint
handling
centered
around
solving
the
individual
Considering this
complaints.
providing cheap,
through eOPRA.
This
violates
inexpensive
the
remedy
fundamental
to
objective
the consumers
of
guaranteed
if any, also has to be parted with to the VCOs for rendering this
service.
A matter of concern for all is that the private member bill
entitled
liThe
Consumer
Associations
(Registration)
Bill,
1991"
180
:.3.2 Consumer Education
The
:Jnsumer education.
modali ties
used
are
mainly workshops,
brochures,
pamphlets,
should
:rganisations
:~formations
guides
be
able
and
to
periodicals.
disseminate
These
and
supply
related to
Unfair,
restricted
and
hazardous
practices
trade
choice
of
consumer
products
and
services
at
the VCOs
in
the U.S
and
the
tested
in
laboratories. 24
But
in
India
the
two
and
VCOs
viz.
dissemination
CGSI
and
mainly
CERC
through
own
product
their
testing
publications
181
which are not affordable to the vast majority.
The attempts
to
are
had
their
own
publications.
whereas only 46
Consumers
Union,
U.S.A
per month.
25
similar
level
of
for
consumer education
are:
consumers
hazards
and
by
the
~.
involve themselves
providing
precautions
information
to
be
taken
in educating
about
from
common
time
to
time.
c
Wide use
of mass
media for
among consumers.
d
Active
involvement
of
women's
organisations
of
25
the
182
U.3
Advocacy
VCOs
have
discretionary
to
powers
convince
in
the
the
authorities
interests
of
Ilader
and
his
consumer
socalled
interests
their
and,
if
laws or enact
new
better.
In
unearthed
'Raiders'
use
consumers
to
the U. S Ralph
malpractices
and
public
action-oriented
was
not
at
programmes.
all
diff icul t
Moreover,
in
the
mobilising
U. S;
because
the
every
Conunodities Order,
1977.
in the country
and
fought
implementation
of
the
administrators will
be
against
COPRA.
effective
the
delay
Advocacy
if
in
enforcing
before
the VCOs
are
the
rule-making
successful
in
183
6.3.4
Lobbying
Lobbying
as
carried
out
by
43
per
cent
of
VCOs
involves
v.S
In the
the elected
tool
is
still in a
rudimentary stage as
consumer
force,
movement
consumer
is
yet
of
to
organisations
the elected
political parties.
pick
up
need
and
In
emerge as
activism,
and
the
industry
and
other
economic
and
role with
bureaucratic
skills.
This throws
light to the fact that almost all VCOs engage in the acti vi ties
rithout any preference or priority to any particular area of work.
These
groups
have
to
identify
their
[yilllj
work
and
action
areas
6.3.5
Public
interest
litigation
should
in
this
as
per
table
6.4.
predominate
even
when
opportunities,
if
184
properly utilised,
advanced
roncessions
and
countries
secure
consumers
their
have
valuable
rights
very
to
through
effective
wrest
public
litigation.
if
an
i~ediate
If
becomes
able
interest
~vocacy
Li tigation
been
is
better
in advanced
than
cure"
countries
through
adopt
the
policy
publications,
of
product
6.4
Financial Sbatus
Based
on
the
annual
budget
of
the VCOs,
as
given
in
the
185
Table 6.5 shows that rich and very affluent VCOs can afford
high
gear
functions
irrespecti ve
of
the
like
lobbying
budget,
are
and
engaged
research.
in
All
VCOs,
complaint-handling,
'rich'
and
'very affluent'
in Gujarat.
Table 6.5
Relation between ~nnual budget and functions of VCOs
Number of VCOs .in Percentage doing
Tota 1 No.
Complaint Consumer Advocacy Litiga- Lobbyof VCOs
(1000 Rs)
handling education
ing
tion
Annual
Budget
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
No.Per
cent
Research
No. Per
cent
----------------------------------------------------------------------10
84
10 - 100
78
100- 500
13
500
Upto
4 100.0
4 100.0
4 100.0
4 100.0
9 69.23
9 69.23
4 100.0
3 75.00
Source: Data Collected from A Directory of VOCs in India, Consumer Education and Research Centre, l\hrnedabad, 1993.
186
Financial Constraints
There
m~~ds
of
appears
to
mobilisation
be
an
enormous
of
dispari ty
financial
Ahmedabad
~.lO,OOO
in
resources.
revealed
sources
The
and
survey
all 69 per cent had an annual expenditure of less than Rs. 30,000.
This finance is raised mainly from subscription fees
the
sources
of
funding,
raising
and
ranging from
of
6.4.1
offer~d
187
Ministry of Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and
'
Publ lC
' trl
' b utlon.
'
D1S
26
2 Ministry
give grants
for
specified
purposes only.
to identify,
27
26 shah , Pritee (Ed.), A Guide to Sources of Consumer Information, Consumer Education and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, 1991,
p.128.
27 Ibid , p.138
1 RR
4 Raja
Ram
Mohan
purchase
Roy
Library
furniture
books,
of
construction,
Foundation
including
gives
assistance
equipments
and
of
and
for
for
building of
l 1' brary. 28
The conditions and procedure required
for
getting
sanction
the authorities.
Hence it is a
difficult task
to get
financial
6.4.2
The foreign
agencies
Canadian
Commonwealth
International
Zentralstelle
Friedrich
International
likely to
Community
Aid
support consumer
of
Development
Fuer
Naumann
Development
(India) Trust,
are
Foundation U.K.,
~angelische
Germany,
which
Churches
Agency
Abroad
Research
Centre
(FNF) ,
(IDRC),
(ClDA),
(Australia),
Entwicklungshilfe
Foundation
(ACC),
(EZE) ,
E.V
Germany,
Canada,
Oxfam
29
28 Ibid , p.142
29 Ibid , p.116-ll8
189
Even though paucity of funds is a major stumbling block for
the effective
functioning
of
the
VCOs,
they
do
not
actively
campaign for raising funds either from foreign sources or from our
~Vffnrnent.
of their educational,
This calls
steps to
.~
6.5
Head,
oountry
like
constitutes
India
women.
~rticipation
and
where
The
more
than
half
distribution
exclusively
of
women's
of
the
VCOs
population
with
organisations
female
over
the
6.6
revealed
that
in
some
states
such
as Jammu and
nor
their
participation
in
the
acti vi ties
of
the
over
the
country
and
only
3.87
per
cent
of
190
Table 6.6
Distribution of VCOs' with female participation in Management and
exclusive Women's Organisations over different States
Voluntary Consumer Organisation
Total
States
With female
participation
No.
50
16.00
17
5.88
100.00
4 Gujarat
29
11
37.93
5 Haryana
33.33
6 Himachal Pradesh
100.00
7 Jammu
1 Andhra Pradesh
2 Bihar
3 Chandigarh
&
Kashmir
Exclusively Women's
Organisations
No.
Per cent
5.88
6.90
6.25
8 Karnataka
26
10
38.46
9 Kerala
16
31. 25
40.00
13
30.77
55.55
22
22.22
13 Orissa
11
18.18
9.09
14 Punjab
25.00
15 Rajasthan
11
36.36
9.09
16 Tamil Nadu
35
25.71
17
18
19
20
17
35.29
11.76
100.00
21
10 Hadhya Pradesh
11 Maharashtra
12 New Delhi
Uttar Pradesh
Tripura
West Bengal
Goa
Pondicherry
22 Manipur
-----------------------------------------------------------------Total
258
73
28.29
10
3.87
191
among women at
Even
and Women's
benefit
and
Indian Association
welfare
of
women
(1917)
they
organised for
failed
miserably
and
find
out
the
reasons
for
the
tolerant
in
We have to
attitude
of
women.
6.6
VCOs in Kerala
In
Kerala
Cochin Literary,
VCO
can
be
Scientific
registered
and
under
Charitable
the
Travancore-
Society's
Act,
1955
all
have
registered
54
been
identified.
engaged
in
~ndling
their cases,
VCOs
have
activists.
VCOs
These
complaint-handling
become
It
by
source
in
obervation is valid.
branches/units
organisations
charging
fair
is
with
this
of
livelihood
context
that
for
the
all
are
over
mainly
amount
As a
result
handful
Supreme
for
of
Court's
Such
powerful
bodies
are
far
sufficient
and
few
in
pressure on
this
the
192
;~..ers
that
be
as
compared
to
the
pressure
brought
by
vested
I:: one
This holds
true in Kerala as
As per
:Jblished by
~hlic
the
Directory
Ministry
of
of
Voluntary
Civil
Supplies I
Consumer
Consumer
Organisations
Affairs
and
In the absence of an
:.6.2 Weaknesses
Dedicated
and
good
leaders
who
are
able
to
tide
over
Selecting
appropriate
issues
to
give
the
organisations
Publications
public
are
that
very
provide
few
and
information
they
have
to
not
the
general
succeeded
in
&
Ors I
193
To be more
~~~ff
groups
.ltional and
effectiv~
need
to
regional
set
basis
their
with
priorities
the
for
action
co-operation
of
on
sister
::ganisations
Financial constraint is the major problem faced by the VCOs
.:1
in
cent of VCOs
the
country.
It was
found
:rom the Government of India and another 8 per cent were getting
:rants
from
private
sources
as
United
Nations
Development
:.6.3 Registration
Membership
of
the
organisations
and
VCO
shall
be
institutions
open
to
all
interested
in
persons,
the
work
Members
should
party.
Thus
it
not
have
is
clear
affiliation
that
the
to
any
members
political
should
not
194
But, in Kerala,
;::tical parties
\vho
encourage
the
members
of
the
political
Council
of
Kerala
and
the
Kerala
state
Consumer
of
Kerala,
:x:rdination Committee.
The
Consumer
:~iruvananthapuram,
:lssemination
of
Protection
information
:Jnsumer products,
Council
forcing
among
the
the
consumers
manufacturers
regarding
and
the
producers
to
misnomer,
:rganisations,
but
since it is
establishing
not
only
coordinating
independent
branches/units
all
over
The
objects
the COPRA in
of
the
addition
Trust
are
almost
to publication of
Governing Body
The governing body of the VCO shall consist of not less than
than
12 members
Vice-Chairman
or
consisting of
Vice-President,
Chairman or
Secretary,
195
::nt Secretaries and a Treasurer and bvo members
.:.5
Activities
of
the
VCOs
in
Kerala
are
mainly
complaint-
promote
and
concretise
protect
consumer
consumer
rights
and
interests
remedies
particularly
through
to
consumer
To facilitate,
seminars,
conferences
and
lecturers
for
the nature of
dicussing
consumer
field of
consumer
problems.
To sponsor
education
and
undertake
programmes
on
research
advocacy
in
and
the
campaigns
relating
to
information and
for
legal
recourse
in
the
defence
of
rights
and
lawful
196
~~
,ther activities
v/hich
may
help
to
promote
the
welfare
of
:onsumers.
~e
:::or and
minor
heads.
Prominent
among
the
major
ones
are
grievances
will
automatically
majority
disappear.
Only
:: us.
Minor hurdles are mainly due to non-implementation and non:~:orcement
intervention
::rtain extent.
of
Owing
the
to
VCOs
the
have
can
easily
prevalence
miserably
of
rectify
this
provincialism
failed
to
An
to
and
undertake
:.ited action aimed at the welfare of entire Kerali tes till date.
equipment
and
computer
equipments
for
testing
197
Grant
for
import
consultants,
of
testing
consultancy
equipments,
charges
and
appointment
training
of
of
technical
people abroad.
To
acquire
facility
for
for
inland
and
overseas
initiated by Department
of Electronics.
3 a Publication of Consumer Education Series Special Subject
Bibliographies/Directories.
b Preparation of Audio-visuals.
public meetings.
Opening
up
centre
for
investor
protection,
recognised
by
Chapter 7
Studies on CDRl\s
i.l
Data Collection
since
redressal
the
machinery
is
functioning
under
the
Ministry of Food,
ere deputed
from
the
members
are
not
re~lted
civil
familiar
ne duplication
with
numbers,
the
judicial
Staff
procedures
which
and even
the original
original
was
still
were
more
disputes
These
allotted
complaints
some
Department...
just
complaints
in
Supplies
missing.
were
Locating
diff icul t.
the
Therefore
only
those
of the State Commission and there was no register of cases for the
~ar
1990.
Hence the
Hence
disposed
of
it was
by
the
thought appropriate
State
Commission.
to
The
exclude
the
researcher
visited all the 14 Fora and the State Commission in Kerala while,
one
president
president
gave
even
refused
permission
access
with
to
the
great
record,
reluctance.
another
The
199
in furnishing
the
details.
As
result,
data
from
the
the
author was
successful
in
in
going
Kerala,
through
which
22447
took
of
consisting
of
District
Commission
on
an
provisions
(Section
three-tier
Fora,
all-India
9)
of
State
basis
the
Commission
was
COPRA,
adjudication
machinery
and
mandatory
National
under
However,
1986.
the
after
th
5 August 1991, 14 Fora were set up at the rate of one in each
district,
The
records
concerning
disputes
7.2
Numerical abundance
and
disposal
as
per
the
records
of
the
the dates
Fora
were
200
Table 7.1
Nooilier of disputes registered at the Fora from M?y 1990 to
31.10.1992 with literacy rates of the respective districts
Name of the
Fora
Disputes registered
------------------------------Literacy rates
Collected data Collected per so- of districts
from state
nally from CDRAs
Commission
No.
No.
Per cent
Per cent
Ernaku1am
4071
4075 * 18.15
92.35 *
Kozhikode
3906
3926 * 17.48
91.10 *
Kottayam
2077
2157 *
9.61
95.72 *
Thiruvananthapuram 1893
1889 *
8.42
89.22 *
Thrissur
1876
1876 *
8.36
90.18 *
Kollam
1762
1785 *
7.95
90.47 *
I\lappuzha
1405
1406
6.26
93.87 *
Kannur
1385
1385 *
6.17
91.48
Palakkad
1057
1059
4.72
81.27
10 Malappuram
857
912
4.06
87.94
11 Idukki
769
770
3.43
86.94
12 Pathanamthi tta
695
695
3.10
94.86 *
13 Wynad
361
512
2.28
82.73
Total
22114
22447+ 100.00
+ 333 disputes missing in the data collected from the State Commi-
ssion.
201
As
per
the
findings
Ernakulam
of disputes.
of disputes
Forum
topped
A look
at
with
table
maximum
7.1
with
Kozhikode,
Kottayam,
Thiruvananthapuram,
Thus
Thrissur,
89.22
per cent
literacy rate as per the Census 1991 had registered more disputes.
Strangely Pathanamthitta
Forum received
only
695
(3.1
per cent)
disputes even though the literacy rate of 94. 86 per cent was more
than the state average.
Compared to the total population of Kerala viz.
as per the Census Report 1991,
2.9 crores
filed
by
in the Fora
202
'I'able 7.2
Year-wise break-up of disputes filed in the Fora
--------------------------------------------in 1990
(8 months)
1991
1992
(12 months) (10 months)
Total
------------------------------------------------------------------
:hiruvananthapuram
237
867
785
1889
:'ollam
311
770
704
1785
96
307
292
695
Alappuzha
146
836
424
1406
'.ottayam
250
659
1248
2157
:dukki
127
243
400
770
~rnakulam
648
2050
1377
4075
:hrissur
259
889
728
1876
?alakkad
100
503
456
1059
~lalappuram
102
179
631
912
'.ozhikode
855
1691
1380
3926
74
215
223
512
250
559
576
1385
3455
9768
9224
22447
?athanamthi t ta
~ynad
i:annur
Total
20 3
BAR DIAGRAM - I
Year-,,'.Jise ~reakup of disputes fi:ed at the
FOid.
4500
4000
3500
3000
12500
9 1992
0 1991
)2000
III 1990
1500
1000
500
o
'i
u o
[
'i
Z
U
204
food,
clothes,
household
Disputes
pertaining
to
household,
services
institu-
Hence a
kept
the
came under
jurisdiction of
records
the
regardless
made
such
state
in which the
classification
tedious.
A - Goods
Food
rice,
items
including
wheat,
medicines,
tea,
coriander,
meat,
fish,
coffee,
chilly,
sugar,
turmeric,
biscuits,
egg,
bread,
cooking
prepared
food
oil,
from
hotels etc.
2
Clothes
including saree,
blouse,
frock,
jeans,
dhothis,
205
B- Services
Financial
services
insurance
companies,
such
as
Unit
banks,
Trust
of
co-operative
India,
banks,
private
and
C - "Others 11
impossible
to
identify
and
classify
as
goods
or
services.
206
Table 7.3
Classification of disputes registered at the Fora under
goods, services and 'Others'
Disputes pertaining to
------------------------------------Goods
Services
Others
Total
Thiruvananthapuram
423
22.39
976
Kollam
354
19.83
864
Pathanamthi tta
132
18.99
406
Alappuzha
172
12.23
892
Kottayam
394
18.27
1168
Idukki
141
18.31
372
1049
25.74
1931
Thrissur
372
19.83
959
Palakkad
159
15.01
699
92
10.00
544
625
15.91
2409
Wynad
73
14.15
251
Kannur
278
20.07
672
4264
18.99
12143
54.10604026.91 22447
Ernakulam
Halappuram
Kozhikode
Total
695
770
912
2 07
3500
3000
I
i 2500
I
. Others'
' 2Q(JO~
mGoods
1500
Z
~
Dishict Fora
Services
208
22.39,
19.83,
10.00,
that disputes
18.99,
15.91,
12.23,
and
14.15
pertaining
18.27,
20.07
to goods
18.31,
25.74,
percentages
were
19.83,
respectively,
48.40,
58.42,
63.44,
54.15,
48.31,
47.39,
51.12,
66.00,
59.65,
61.37,
25.94,
31.76,
44.27,
'Others'
24.32,27.58,
registered
at
33.38,26.87,
the
Fora were
29.05,18.98,30.26,
22.72,
36.72 and
31.41 per cent respectively in the case of the Fora starting from
7.3
clearly
pointed
out
that
per
54.10
cent
of
Bar Diagram -
11
7.3.1
Bar Diagram III and table 7.4 show the details of disputes
pertaining to goods filed at the Fora.
Of the total disputes pertaining to various types of goods
13.00, 12.15,
9.85,
33.33, 12.50,
9.22, 9.04,
0.09,
16.28,
11.05,
7.87,
32.14,
7.25,
9.40,
10.15,
9.29,
8.78,
9.55, 13.19,
to
10.75,
food
items,
7.01,
14.94,
14.10, 29.17. and 10.43 per cent were pertained to clothes, whereas
77.78,
78.81,
81.06,
72.67,
81.98,
58.57,
83.97, 79.84, 83.44, 72.53, 52.57, 58.33 and 76.62 were pertained
209
to household durables.
Among
the
complaints
regarding
goods 1.5.52
per
cent
were
10.55
per
cent
were
about
food
i terns
and
textile
items
respectively.
The reason for the increased number of complaints regarding
household durables could be traced to the fact that the traders,
after receiving a lump sum as advance,
than
the
traders
who
exploited consumers to a
dealt
with
less
expensive
210
Table 7.4
Clas'sification of disputes on the basis of
different categories of goods
Categories of goods
Food
Clothes
Total
Household
durables
1 Thiruvananthapuram
55
13.00
39
9.22
329
77.78
423
2 Kollam
43
12.15
32
9.04
279
78.81
354
3 Pathanamthi tta
13
9.85
12
9.09
107
81.06
132
4 Alappuzha
28
16.28
19
11.05
125
72.67
172
5 Kottayam
31
7.87
40
10.15
323
81.98
394
6 Idukki
45
32.14
13
9.29
83
58.57
141
7 Ernakulam
76
7.25
93
8.78
880
83.97 1049
8 Thrissur
35
9.40
40
10.75
297
79.84
372
9 Palakkad
15
9.55
13
7.01
131 T
83.44
159
13
13.19
13
14.94
66
72.53
92
209
33.33
88
14.10
328
52.57
625
12.50
21
29.17
43
58.33
73
36
12.95
29
10.43
213
76.62
278
608
14.24
452
10.55
3204
10 Halappuram
11 Kozhikode
12 Wynad
13 Kannur
Total
75.52 4264
?1.1
lllJU
1000
800
II
I
600
1
I
I
I
400
oHousehold
200
Cloth
oFood
District Fora
212
Disputes regarding services
7.3.2
In all,
regarding
49.63,
31.47
financial.,
household
and
cent
of disputes
institutional
were
services
rcspecti vely
7.3.2.1
As
per
financial
table
services
7.5
and
ranged
Bar
from
diagram
82.27
IV
per
disputes
cent
at
involving
Kozhikode
to
55.84,
34.38,
23.32, 23.90,
31.03,
82.27,
47.41
24.22,
and
38.87,
29.91
44.89,
58.47,
51.93,
against services registered at the Fora starting from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur as per the order followed in table 7.5.
In
Thiruvananthapuram,
Ernakulam,
Thrissur
complaints
regarding
and
Kozhikode
services were
7.3.2.2
Disputes
regarding
financial disputes.
~r
It ranged from
cent at Kozhikode.
59.42, 40.58,
47.62
per
34.68,
cent
of
household
services
59.42
ranked
next
to
at Alappuzha to 11.66
41.44, 37.44,
total
disputes
regarding
services
were
213
'rable 7.5
Classification of disputes filed in the District Fora on the basis
of different categories of services
Services
District Fora
InstiTotal
tutional
No.Per cent No.Per cent No.Per cent
Financial
Household
1 Thiruvananthapuram
545
55.84
225
23.05 206
21.11
976
2 Kollam
297
34.38
358
41.44 209
21.19
864
3 Pathanamthi tta
126
31.03
152
37.44 128
31.53
406
216
24.22
530
59.42 146
16.37
892
5 Kottayam
454
38.87
474
40.58 240
20.55 1168
6 Idukki
167
44.89
129
34.68
20.43
1129
58.47
448
23.20 354
18.33 1931
8 Thrissur
498
51.93
228
23.77 233
24.30
959
9 Palakkad
163
23.32
366
52.36 170
24.32
699
130
23.90
231
42.46 183
33.64
544
1982
82.27
281
11.66 146
12 Wynad
119
47.41
79
13 Kannur
201
29.91
320
Alappuzha
7 Ernakulam
10 Malappuram
11 Kozhikode
Total
6027
49.63 3821
31.47
76
372
6.06 2409
53
21.12
251
47.62 151
22.47
672
31.472295
18.9012143
214
BAR DIAGRAM IV
Classification of disputes peJta ining to services
!1
l
I
I
~ Institutional
Household
oFinancial
l 'I.
'I.
.0
o ishict Fora
z:
'i.
215
In Alappuzha and Palakkad districts there were more than 50
per cent of such disputes.
revealed that
majority of
agency which
making any
in Alappuzha
closed
down
the
business
alternate. arrangements
for
them were
all
on
against
sudden
reinforcing
the
i)
gi1S
without
services
around
nonavailabili ty
of
water
supply.
Unfortunately
Kottayam,
Malappuram and
Kannur districts
such
In big cities, which are densely populated such as Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode, disputes regarding
household
services
were
pertaining to financial
lesser
contrary
to
the
complaints
the people there did not come forward to seek redressal for their
~ievances
etc.
because of affluence,
216
7.3.2.3
These disputes
md household
~lappuram
were
services.
even
lesser compared
They
ranged
from
21.11,
21 19 ,
31 53 ,
33.64,
6.06,
21.12
i~titutional
16 37,
and
20 55 ,
33.64
financial
per
cent
at
20 43 ,
per
22.47
to the
18 33 ,
cent
24 30 ,
disputes
24. 32 ,
regarding
'Other Disputes'
7.3.3
Among
'Other Disputes'
those under
service benefits
ranged
7.4
The Act
s~tle
vests
Commissions
with
authority
to
days
party.
the
date
of
opposite
receipt
party
is
(Kerala)
of
the
required
Rules,
notice
to
1987
by
the
give
his
The
minimum time required for the disposal of disputes from the date
cl filing was considered as four months during the course of this
study.
Total
disputes
1-4
5-8
9-12
13-16
17-20
21-24
25-28
29-32
33-36
199
134
564
42
208
103
112
58
213
49
242
334
485
205
571
192
65
172
183
38
126
165
100
24
51
42
68
284
0
845
245
290
366
95
238
II
34
315
268
35
87
20
53
26
22
72
92
279
236
59
123
64
156
212
287
305
550
92
226
459
110
297
333
90
262
286
16
56
79
18
52
"
0
22
13
0
6
627
200
0
0
1046
645
268
291
2508
95
489
167
156
645
867
22447
2753 2881
2942
2630
2015
920
237
37
23
8004
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------..
1385
II Kozhikode
13 Kannur
912
3926
10 Malappuram
512
1059
9 Palakkad
12 Wynad
4075
1876
7 Ernakulam
8 Thrissur
257
235
770
6 Idukki
530
2157
5 Kottayam
56
1406
88
185
152
4 Alappuzha
695
1785
2 Kollam
3 Pathanamthitta
1889
1 Thiruvananthapuram
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
217
Table 7.6
218
For
<lllulysillY
Lite
dcLuill
Lilll('
LLlkell
by
Lite
5 to 8,
Fora
[our
9 to 12, 13 to
till
30.04.1993.
Since
(17
to
the
number
40 months)
of
were
less than one in some Fora as shown in table 7.6 for statistical
convenience two or more periods were clubbed viz. 17-24 and 25-40
months.
7.4.1
81, 30,
45,
8,
253,
Thiruvananthapuram,
I~kki,
22
and
Kollam,
Ernakulam,
23
disputes
Pathanamthitta,
Thrissur,
Palakkad,
were
disposed
Alappuzha,
Malappuram,
of
at
Kottayam,
Kozhikode,
percentage
disposal
at
the
various
just
showed
that
behind it by disposing
Fora
30.14
per cent of
these two Fora revealed that when Kozhikode Forum disposed of 253
disputes Wynad disposed of only 22 disputes.
nanthapuram,
Kollam,
Idukki,
of
Ernakulam,
more disputes
Thrissur,
than
Palakkad
the Wynad
Forum
and
the
This
219
numerical
basis
is
followed
in
the
study
for
finding
the
For comparative
31
disputes
33, 19,
36, 127,
were disposed
51,
14,
45,
of
66,
33, 8,
by
19,
47, 144,
the
62,
Fora,
142,
25,
45,
while
10,
12,
vlithin 13 to 16 months
16
months
the
number
of
disputes
disposed
26,
28,
6,
IS,
157,
I,
5,
13,
4 and
37
of
24 months
cases were
the disputes
of
disputes
(253)
within
four
months,
whereas
T~_~
t_k_n
~r
ch_
d~_p~ __ ~
or
d~_p~t__
p_~t_i~in9
to
25 _ 40 N~t yet
d~sposed
Per
No. Per
Total
cent
cent
vo~d_
45
Pa1akkad
23
Kannur
22
12 16.44
31 11.15
30. 14
8. 27
12
72 11.42 135
8.70
40. 4 8
10
45 28.30
28. 30
8.70
25
62 16.67
8.06
7.91
6.85
21.6
13.04
6.29
6.72
13.54
13.48
16.75
26.16
10.61
14.41
15.37
Per
cent
9 - 12
34
11
58
33
61
16
35
28
50
62
59
No.
13
9.28
12.23
5.48
2.08
5.43
0.63
37 13.31
2.17
15.06
157 42.20
5.03
8.87
0.63
1..09
0.16
1.37
0.72
1
1
1
2
0.10
15
5.82
0.71
4.26
11.35
5.11
0.25
7.11
28
8.88
19
4.07
Z6 15.12
16.28
1. 43
1.52
9.85
37.88
13
1.69
17.51
13.95
39 11. 02
No.
0.236
Per
cent
1
23
No.
17 - 24
5.44
cent
Per'
13 - 16
141
16 11. 35
129 46.40
18 24.67
93 14.88
278
73
625
92
159
49 30.82
56 60.87
372
46 12.37
394
172
132
354
423
62 15.74
22 12.79
18 13.64
119 33.62
.201 47.52
40.11**
17.38**
392.51**
30.92**
56.95**
643.71**
294.88**
62.48**
118.51**
87.67**
l13.32**
45.31**
59.85**
Chisquare
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------669 15. 69 682 15.99 611 14.32 457 10.72 367 8.61 44 1.03 1434 26.44 4264
Total
---------------------------------;;----------;;-----------------------------------------------------------------------Chi-square
401.7329
155.0855
79.4942** 148.3358** 630.5511**96.8989** 451.4591**
963.56
------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
22
253
Wynad
Kozhikode
30
Thrissur
Malappuram
81
Ernaku1am
19
66
47 33.33
25. 53
36
Idukki
7.72
127 32.23
19. 03
75
Kottayam
45
36 20.93
4.65
Alappuzha
14
19 14.39
12.12
16
33
65
No.
51
Pathanamthitta
46 10.87
No. Per
cent
8 -
9.32
12. 4 3
44
Ko11am
6.62
Per
cent
28
No.
Thiruvananthapuram
District Forum
1 - 4
------------------
221
BAR DIAGRAM - V
Disposal time for di sputes pertaining to goods.
1200
1000
I
l
I
I
800
8 Not Yet
o 25 - 40
017- 25
m13-16
600
III 9-12
05 - 8
rn
400
200
>
~
aJ
~
I
~
'If.
. ~
U 0
[
District Fo.a
il.
aJ
I
0
~
~
1-4
222
7.4.1.1
Disputes
varied from
involving
605
at
goods
not disposed
Ernakulam to
16
at
of
as
Idukki.
on
The
30.4.1993
number
of
disputes pending disposal were 423, 201, 119, 18, 22, 62, 16, 605,
46, 49, 56, 93, 18 and 129 at the Fora.
Table 7.8
Comparison of disputes pertaining to goods disposed of and
not disposed of as on 30.4.1993
Disputes pertaining to goods
Name of the Fora
Disposed of
No. Per cent
Not disposed of
No. Per cent
Total
No.
1 Thiruvananthapuram 222
52.49
201
47.52
423
2 Kollam
235
66.38
119
33.62
354
3 Pathanamthi tta
114
86.37
18
13.64
132
4 Alappuzha
150
87.21
22
12.79
172
5 Kottayam
332
84.25
62
15.74
394
6 Idukki
125
88.66
16
11.35
141
7 Ernaku1am
444
42.34
605
57.67
1049
8 Thrissur
326
87.63
46
12.37
372
9 Palakkad
110
69.18
49
30.82
159
36
39.13
56
60.87
92
532
85.12
93
14.88
625
55
75.34
18
24.67
73
10 Malappuram
11 Kozhikode
12
Wynad
l3
Kannur
149
53.59
129
46.40
278
Total
2830
66.36
1434
23.64
4264
223
BAR DIAGRAM - VI
Distric t-wise disposa l of disputes pe rtaining to goods
2500
2000
,1000
500
mDispo.ed
III Not disposed
>
f-
"
{
~
J
~
I
~
IJ
"J
aJ
0 0
,i
Dishid Fora
~
~
~
.'
224
of
which
an
disposal on 30.4.1993.
average
of
23.64
per
cent
were
pending
of
the
complaints
filed
after
that
are
also
the
different
varying
statistically
Hence
the
disposal
periods
significant
hypothesis
that
among
one
"The
involving
goods
varying
7.4.2
were
at
were
per
widely
cent
level
variation
in
(table
and
7.7).
disposal
time
were considerably
Table 7.9 and Bar Diagram VII show that within the minimum
period of four months the number of disputes
regarding
services
69,
77,
52,
30,
The
279,
were
320
at
5 to 8 months
Kottayam
and
the
maximum number
20
each
of
at
a maximum of
198
at
Ernakulam and
mirilinum of
19 at
taken
f~r
th_
d~_p~
__ 1
~E
d_put__
p_=t_~nn9
t~
__
r_~
__
for the
d~sposal
of cases
(in Months)
1 - 4
5 - 8
9 - 12
13 - 16
17 - 24
25 - 40
disposed
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
?er
cent
No.
?er
cent
No.
ce~t
Pe:-
No.
Per
cent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total
No.
Chi-squre
93
13 Kannur
13.83
26.69
.4.48
2.94
38
20
60
20
148
187
192
93
320
107
33
78
96
5.65
7.96
2.49
3.67
21.17
19.49
9.94
25.00
27.39
11.99
8.12
9.02
9.83
37
19
188
60
62
130
198
57
147
193
54
131
140
10.42
7.56
7.80
11.02
8.86
13.55
10.25
15.32
12.58
21.63
13 .30
15.16
14.34
77
23
174
224
139
150
48
80
142
116
148
186
J1.45
9.16
7.22
0.55
:2.04
14.49
7.76
12.90
6.84
15.91
28.57
17.12
19.05
66
1076
44
249
14
9.82
2.39
44.67
8.08
0.143
55
35
2.7';
;)
34
25.96
86';
406
892
1165
372
19::
9::::'
6 ce
35.76
23.46
9.19
24.48
13.17
65.04
17.93
21. 60
309
96
82
286
49
172
C .49
:.81
c .';2
C .53
C.:43 151
544
2409
251
672
73.52
31. 05
45.81
52.82
748
115
355
:.28
-9
C.39
r . ,;
l.
:"' ..!..
400
.8
: . .?6
:.001 1256
4.05
35
976
44.90
439
C.30
3.76
4.36
34.08
304
51
13.05
9.95
4.40
53
86
43
**
256.17
**
175.51
**
193.47
**
1007.25
**
984.63
**
430.42
**
1082.94
**
582.48
**
651.00
*+
483.61
**
826.13
**
176.27
**
208.15
1137
9.36
1392
11.46
1416
"I
11.66 1510
12.43
1446
11.90
184
1. 51 4458
36.71 12143
**
1052.667
**
923.129
**
318.681
**
806.233
**
1730.930
**
283.895
**
1942.429
**
7058.02
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chi-square
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
67
108
11 Kozhikode
12 Wynad
16
::'0 r1a1appuram
16.02
112
9 Pa1akkad
29.30
4.58
109
6 Idukki
23.88
44
279
5 Kottayam
3.36
3 Thrissur
30
4 A1appuzha
12.80
4.19
52
3 Pathanamthitta
8.91
81
77
2 Ko11am
7.06
7 Ernaku1am
69
1 Thiruvananthapuram
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District Fora
taken
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Not yet
T~me
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
T__
226
BAR Dlp.GRAM . V II
Disposa l lime for disputes pe rtaining to services
2500
2000
8 N o t Ye t
! 1500
o 25 40
~
I
111 17 24
13 16
m9 12
,.
0
0 1000
o58
1111 4
500
,I
f-
'i.
{
f-
aJ
>
~
f-
'i.
U
I-
Distr ic t Fota
fij
aJ
I
0
'i.
'i.
227
Wi thin 13 to 16
148, 116,
142,
various Fora.
complaints,
80,
months
48,
150,
the
number
139,
224,
of
3,
disposals
174,
23 and
were
186,
77 at the
Malappuram
Forum
disposed
of
only
224
3
complaints.
Within a
were 43,86,
span of 17 to
53,
304,
51,
24 months
14,
53,
the
249,1,
number
44,
1076,
of
disposals
6 and 66 at
5,
2,
1,
38,
1,
1,
55,
and
6 which
revealed
35,
that the
the
first
position
by
disposing
of
maximum
of
1661
228
Table 7.10
Comparison of disputes pertaining to services disposed of and
pending disposal at the Fora as on 30.4.1993
Disputes pertaining to services
Name
of the Fora
Disposed of
No. Per cent
Thiruvananthapuram 537
Pending Disposal
No. Per cent
Total
55.02
439
44.90
976
2 Kollam
555
64.24
309
35.76
864
3 Pathanamthi tta
310
76.35
96
23.46
406
4 Alappuzha
810
90.81
82
9.19
892
5 Kottayam
882
75.51
286
24.48
1168
6 Idukki
323
86.83
49
13.17
372
7 Ernakulam
675
34.96
1256
65.04
1931
8 Thrissur
787
82.06
172
17.93
959
9 Palakkad
548
78.40
151
21.60
699
144
26.47
400
73.52
544
1661
68.95
748
31.05
2409
10
Malappuram
11
Kozhikode
12
Wynad
136
54.18
115
45.81
251
13
Kannur
317
47.17
355
52.82
672
-----------------------------------------------------------------Total
7685
63.29
4458
36.71
12143
-------------------------------------------------------------------
229
2500
2000
~ 1500
I
I
Disposed
oPending
"
01000
500
District Fora
230
7.4.2.1
and
Bar
Diagram
VII-A.
Since
this
study
has
taken
the
showed that they were filed at least six months before the date of
collection of the data.
The chi-square
and for
each Forum
values
calculated
(table 7.9)
for
each disposal
period
in
is
at
per
cent
inter-district
level.
variation
Therefore
in
the
it
time
is
proved
taken
that
for
the
7.4.3
at the Fora
the
minimum
period
Disputes'
18, 203,
45
and
83
at
64,
the Fora.
of
four
20,
18, 176,
During
months
this
90,
the
95,
'Other
29,
51,
period Kozhikode
49,
21, 81,
26 and 43 disputes
231
22,
95,
84,
20,
17 and
77,
46,
66,
41,
28,
57,
66, 13,
at the Fora.
This
51,
13,
36,
28,
9,
Disputes not disposed of amounted 227, 217, 42, 63, 141, 30,
647, 73,
66,
189,
206,
taken
for
"X'_b~C'
of
7_.11
the disposa1
'Other Disputes'
81
80
22
95
84
34
8.36
61 10.76
8.28
41
13
49 14.33
124 20.84
65 25.05
55 11. 22
64 11. 28
20 12.74
5.26
176 29.58
90 35.02
8.68
5.32
18
95
29
Kollam
Pathanamthitta
Alappuzha
Idukki
Ernakulam
Thrissur
Palakkad
Malappuram
Per
cent
No.Per
cent
No. Per
cent
Total
Chisquare
947 15.67
5.21
13
1.45
6.40
66 12.11
57
9.04
54 12.41
17
9.43
9.57
8.33
6.89
28 10.89
41
66 19.30
46 29.29
77 13.58
60 12.24
8.28
13
2.47
27
7.45
4.38
6.88
0.49
521
8.62 76
1.26
2.3
0.53
0.22
0.72
2
2
0.49
4.04
0.09
61 14.02 10
14
39
19
199 36.51 22
3.50
0.39
0.17
28
4.71
4.39
0.64
3.00
0.41
36 10.53 15
8.99 17
51
7.9
24
257
595
342
157
567
490
435
188
892
276
201
545
143 32.87
67 35.64
206 23.00
189 68.48
66 33.50
73 13.40
647.59.09 1095
30 11.67
141 23.70
63 18.42
42 26.75
217 38.27
227 46.33
**
45.4801
**
29.2610
**
55.5924
**
136.3021
**
145.5669
**
138.5896
**
323.0350
**
639.0540
**
53.4692
**
143.1438
**
179.6634
**
13.8217
**
36.3538
---------------------------------;;---------;;----------;;---------;;--------;;--------;;---------;;---------------;;-: Chi-square
310.3241
110.2960
141.3197
158.2995
617.7021 109.6652
491.7265
1939.333
Total
41
9.89
43
83 19.08
Kannur
9.09 227
81
203 22.78
18
23
7.60
21
6.52
18
26 13.83
20
49 24.14
51 25.12
45 23.94
13.03
71
85 15.60
9.85
10.87
13.23
14.12
Wynad
Kozhikode
Kottayam
27.78
14.01
14.11
16.53
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thiruvananthapuram
No.
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
T~me
233
1200
1000
I 800
mNot Yet
I
l
I
925 - 40
I 17 - 24
Q 600
m13 - 16
III 9 - 12
I
I
Z 400
III 5-8
o1-4
200
>
~
aj
}
~
4 'i
}
~
w
Distri(" r
U
~
aj
'i
~~yi~~
149
2830
4264
55
532
278
73
625
36
110
326
444
125
332
150
129
18
93
56
49
46
605
16
62
22
18
119
201
672
251
2409
544
699
959
1931
372
1168
892
406
864
976
317
136
1661
144
552
787
675
323
882
810
310
555
537
355
115
748
400
147
172
1256
49
286
82
96
309
439
435
188
892
276
201
545
1095
257
595
342
157
567
490
143
2112
3929
67
205
189
68
73
647
30
141
63
42
217
227
292
121
686
87
135
472
448
227
454
279
115
350
263
1385
512
3926
912
1059
1876
4075
770
2157
1406
695
1785
1889
758
312
2879
267
797
1585
1567
675
1668
1239
539
1140
1022
627
200
1047
645
262
291
2508
95
489-
167
156
645
867
12143
7689
4458
6040
22447
14448
7999
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1434
------------------------ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------Total
3 Kannur
2 Wynad
1 Kozhikode
92
159
9 Pa1akkac
Ma1appuram
372
8 Thriss ur
1049
141
6 Idukki
7 Ernaku1a:n
394
172
5 Kottayara
~lapPuzha
132
3 Pathanamthitta
235
354
2 Ko11am
114
222
1 Thiruvananthapuram 423
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District Fora
Disputes against
Disputes against
Other cases
Total
_______ gQQg ______________
___________________________________________________ _
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
as on 30.4.1.993
235
With the ever-mounting disputes at the Fora these disputes
pending disposal do not give a
to
and for the Fora (table 7.11) showed that there were wide
'Others' at the
and 'Others'
services
for the disposal of disputes filed at the District Fora which was
proved correct
by
cent
Hence
level.
inter-district
the
chi-square
the
variation
in
values
hypothesis
first
the
significant
time
taken
one
per
that
there
is
the
disposal
of
for
at
7.5
14 CDRAs.
The
author
was
in
collecting
the
successful
236
Table 7.11
District-wise distribution of respondents
Male
Districts
Female
Total
Thiruvananthapuram
Pathanamthitta
Kottayam
A1appuzha
Idukki
Ernakulam
Thrissur
PClIClkkClo
Kozhikode
Kasargode
-------------------------------------------------------11
Total
10
21
and Kollam.
out
of
15
ladies
and
only
11
out
of
2)
TI<'n
responded.
spite
questionnaires
bureaucratic
The attitude
of
continued
answered
set-up
of
the
efforts
failure
prevailing
non-respondents
in
by
the
could
these
leads
author
be
to
attributed
quasi-judicial
to
denial
of
get
the
to
the
bodies.
right
to
7.5.1
are functioning
Consumer
under
Affairs
inception
in
of
the Ministry
the
state
The
1990.
of
and
set-up
under
Agencies
Food,
Civil
Central
has
COPRA,
Supplies
Governments
three-tier
1986
and
since
redressal
state Commission
answers
members
and
revealed
received
presidents)
mixed
and
from
the
regarding
confused
Fora
their
response.
members
(including
superior
authority
per
64
rC'sp(~ctjvr'
cent
!li~;t~rict
of
the
Forum
111;)[;
their boss, whereas 71.42 per cent of the presidents and 14.28 per
cent
of
the
members
Commission
as
their
presidents
and
considered
the
superior authority.
7.14
per
cent
of
the
presiden t
28.58
rr ~'r)bers
of
per
the
cent
stated
Sta te
of
the
that
the
per
the
Consumer
(Kerala)
Protection
Rules,
1987.
The
7.5.2
66.67
per
cent
seemed
to
believe. that
they
were
not
Affairs and 23.81 per cent felt that they were answerable to the
Ministry, 9.52 per cent kept a diplomatic silence ",;. thout giving
an answer.
238
Moreover
47.62
per
cent
were
least
it.
for
whereas
separate
Ministry
bothered
about
Separate
Ministry
for
Consumer
Affairs.
It is
interesting to note
that
sprouted out
from
this.
Since
th<">y
<Ire
not
<lnsw0r<lhl c
to
the
7.5.3
Because
of the phenomenal
similar
increase
in
the
number
of
VCOs
with
38.10 per
re~~ondents
C('1i_
name as such suited their purposes and functions and 4.76 per cent
was not at all bothered about it.
239
per
92.85
cent
cautioned
that
complainants
mistake
the
was
found
that
even
to
the
the
post
offices
District Fora
to
inadvertantly
the
well-known
'Forum'
42.86
'Consumer Court',
Court',
4.76
4.76
per
and another
name.
(M.B.A)
(1992).
1.5.4
1987 states
that
the
Also
240
a~
Forum
was
two
per
week,
in
Idukki,
Palakkad, Alappuzha
and
general
the
limiting
factors
were
the
convenience
of
members because for many of them this was only a subsidiary/parttime job.
The
Rrlier
study
in
regarding
this
pending disposal
chapter
at
the
speed
revealed
Idukki,
of
redressal
that
Palakkad,
there
of
complaints
were
complaints
Alappuzha,
Pathanamthi tta
7.6
Insufficient
Staff
in
the
office
and
their
lack
of
Frequent
adjournments
convenience of lawyers
of
hearings
in
tune
with
the
241
4
Lack of fund.
Using
Kendall
high degree
value
of
6.656
co-efficient
concordance
was
found
of
among
concordance
the
members.
statistically
showed. a
0.832
The
significant
chi-square
proving
the
query
limitations
and
regarding
to
improve
the
the
measures
working
of
to
the
minimise
Fora
led
these
to
the
following findings:
7.6.1
department,
so
that
he
would
be
able
to
give
that the staff who were transferred from the Department of civil
~w1ies
and 9.52
per
cent
suggested
the
appointment
through
P.S.C
or
opinion
Department
of
that
Civil
no
staff
Supplies,
should
because
be
appointed
those
deputed
from
from
the
Civil
Supplies Department were the persons non grata not familiar with
judicial proceedings and there was
242
!~rt
of the
same time.
7.6.2
Ever-increasing number of
complaints
in
the
Fora
could
be
to
of
76.16
hearings,
per
cent
14.32 per
of
respondents
cent
felt
that
the
frequent
limited
number of si ttings per week and another 9.52 per cent felt
that
iliepolicy one Forum for one District was not enough especially in
geographically wide-spread districts.
since the members
ct~r
of
the Fora
are
working
part-time
with
the
It
by
speedy
is
redressal
interesting
the
Government
to
of disputes
note
of
that
India
resulting
the
to
in
working
suggest
high
group
sui table
It is recommended
243
:hat ordinarily they shall not be permitted to be engaged.
The
if
the
National
Commission/state
Commission/District
Fora
Fora, the lawyers are permitted to appear and harass the consumers
with their lengthy queries.
Baju,
George
(1992)
found
that
cent
per
cent
of
the
consumers were for banning advocates from the Fora, while only 5
per cent of the members of the Fora favoured it.
Since
in
this
study
great
majority
of
76.16
per
cent
reason
for
high
pendency
their
involvement
should
be
restricted.
The Supreme Court in the writ Petition
(Civii')
No.1141 of
case
months
there
forum.
almost
all
districts
in
for
an
additional
Kerala
except
independent
in six
Wynad.
district
Owing
to
the
Moreover,
the study
that
i~reased
regarding
the
speed
of
redressal
revealed
with
be accelerated.
244
',6.3
convenience of lawyers
lawyers
:djournments
:elt the
should
need
per
76.19
to
be
cent
suggested
restricted
give
power
to
to a
the
that
the
minimum.
redressal
number
9.52
of
per
cent
to
take
agency
exceeds
minimum.
The
remaining
14.29
~~.
The
consumers
loss
due
to
of
money,
these
time
sudden
and
energy
adjournments
suffered
would
make
by
the
good
Therefore
the
f~eling
adversely
than
I~vocates
that
1,6.4
The Fora can normally function with the president and one of
~etwo
members.
~o~er
245
to
~unment
additional
14.29
Fora.
~earby
give
per
charges
cent
of
the
to
the
president
respondents
felt
be
of
the
that
the
1986
is
social
welfare
legislation
which
industry,
law,
accountancy,
1~
Fo~a
!m~estlon
in
the
absence
public
affairs
or
(Amendment) Ordinance,
of
the
regular
president.
But
the
and
the
increase
speedy
Jistance travel
in
the
redressal.
when
one
number
Also
president
of
this
hearings
per
necessitates
presides
over
week
for
long
:orum.
1 i.6.S
Financial Constraints
While 85.71 per cent of the respondents admitted that Fora
:~ad
not
feel
so.
I:ora.
I
I
i
246
76.19 per cent of the respondents felt that it was the duty
~ilie
~~essal
~herc WLlS
4.76
per
cent
insisted
on
prescribing
court
fee
or
envelopes
to
complainan ts
Some
Fora
ask
for
postages
stamped
from
to
pay
postages,
the
off ice
If the consumers
staff
should
give
an
be
enhanced
litigation.
by
Common
encouraging
Cause I
cited
VCOs
the
to
undertake
best example
by
public
filing
affecting
the
speedy
redressal
of
247
7.7.1
respondents
the wilful
disposal. of
disputes I
whereas
23.81
per
cent
of
the
special
according to
~~ondents
messengers
per
61.90
in
cent of
the
Fora
as
respondents.
in
Civil
23.81
Courts
per cent of
the reason.
the
Fora
Another
to penalise
per
4.76
the
cent opined
postal
department
(c)
extent
to
(g)
delays
of
are
for
the
laboratory
Act
is
very
unavoidable,
laboratories
are
not
existing
the
COPRA
in
the
in
the
tedious
especially
existence.
is
testing given
delay
One
in
of
and
to
when
the
sending
in Section
a
certain
appropriate
serious
sample
lacunae
to
the
248
the
premises
?roper amendments
to
of
send
the
Fora.
samples
for
This
can
be
test
immediately
the
remedied
by
pending
regarding
execution
of
orders
and
infrastructural
?roblems.
While 52.38 per cent of the respondents made sure that the
orders issued by the Fora were executed properly,
experienced
in
the
matter.
The
reasons
for
this
Using
Kendall
agreement was
found
to
agreement
among
showed
statistically
the
co-efficient
be
concordance
which
0.72
members.
of
showed
Chi-square
significant
the
degree
of
high
degree
of
value
agreement
(df=3)
60.48
at
one
per
cent
ievel.
One president expressed that ineffective execution was one
of the
loose
ends
in
the
COPRA
which
should
be
tied
up
for
249
ilie aggrieved
consumers.
The
provisions
in
the
Act
regarding
State or National
its
inability
to
execute
to
the
off ice of
the
other person,
the
in the case of a
company,
the registered
company situated or
in
the
case of
an
order
against
on
business
or
any
voluntarily
personally
works
for
resides
gain
or
and
going
to
hesitate
the Civil
to
use
this
Court making
remedy
it
as
the
time-consuming
sume
and
expensi ve.
7.9
Infrastructural Problems
The
brought out
study
the
regarding
need
for
the
infrastructural
improvements
in
facilities
has
systems,
safe
filing
expertise
in
complaints
250
",9.1
Filing System
since
there
is
no
direction
in
the
COPRA
regarding
the
In order to have a
proper filing
system in
the
filing
cabinets and
bureaus.
Since the office staff are not familiar with the
judicial
It
State Legislature
is
taking
7.9.2
Section 13(4)
and
(5)
civil
the
proceeding
are
Procedure 1908
District
within
expert advice as
regarding
the
Forum
shall
meaning
of
be
deemed
Sections
to
193
be
and
a
228
judicial
of
the
251
:ivil Court for" the purposes of Section 195 and Chapter XXVI of
the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Using
expertise
~uing
for
evidence.
But
the
is
silent
regarding
the
38.09 per cent of the respondents opined that the party who
pay the expenses, while another 38.09 per cent opined that
:he opinion that the Fora should bear the expense since there is
jO
views
reflected
the
practices
treatm~nt
adopted
by
the
consumers
in
different
~kh
showed
~~.
",9.3
differential
of
Fora
for
safekeeping
of
valuable
goods
produced
by
the
All
:rrangement.
per
:omplainants
5
to
take
of
them
cent
back
of
felt
the
the
need
respondents
for
safekeeping
allowed
the
subsequent production
252
'.10 Refresher Courses for members
taken by
62
of
Supreme
Courts
and
Courts
in
aware
that
other
~rernment
cent
of
the
respondents
were
the
:heir turn.
Fora
sponsored
:onsumer Affairs
:ndia.
and
by
Public
the
Ministry
Distribution
of
of
Civil
the
Supplies,
Government
of
have
not
been
received
by
52
per
cent
of
On
attempt
is
made
to
examine
the
legality
and
propriety
of
253
:reating quasi-judicial bodies as CDRAs in a rule of law society.
1.11 Discussion
from
the outcome of
steps to comply with the letter but not with the spirit of the
~.
:itigants.
Persons
~kation
with
statutory
required
qualifications
and
~rtead
~embers
~~,
(1990)
Ahmedabad
~ackground
on
the
socio-economic
and
educational
District
Fora
was
?roviding satisfaction
not
of
to
the
the
status
which
consumers.
In
is
conducive
Andhra
to
Pradesh
Apart from
decision-making
in
the
courts,
tribunals
and
the
the
present
answers
'.vay
of
from
swearing-in
procedures
them it follows
of
these
from
As a
254
I
I
i. e.
the
independence
of
adjudicating
bodies
viz.
the matters stand today the CDRAS have been kept in a state of
:ersons
judicial
appointed
perform
functions
without
fear
or
The
~cilities
~'lJlual
Supreme
Court
has
observed
that
infrastructural
:etition 1141/88).
Many
of
dvocates,
or
the
members
employed
in
elsewhere
Fora
being
affected
either
the
practicing
regular
smooth
:i cases
by
the
lawyers,
lesser
number
of
The major
increased
Chapter 8
each district,
rural
comprising 110
. :heir age,
320
study consisted of
education,
type
of
and urban
160 families
families
from
family,
employment,
marital
The age profile of the sample was between 20 and 30, 30 and
.: and above
;~ien
in table 8.1.
on
urban-rural
basis
is
as
TOTAL
No.
Per
cent
Urban
No.
Per
cent
. Rural
No.
Per
cent
Urban
No.
Per
cent
Rural
No."
Per
cent
Urban
No. Per
cent
Rural
No.
Grand
Total
Per
cent
30.91
100.00
34
110
Total
50
28
16
100.00
56.00
32.00
12.00
110
37
36
37
100.00
33.63
32.73
33.64
50
16
18
16
100.00
32.00
36.00
32.00
220
71
88
61
IpO.OO
32.27
40.00
27.73
44.00
34.00
22.00
100 100.00
44
34
22
320
115
122
83
100.0a
35.93
38.13 -
25.94
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
47.27
52
30 - 40
21.82
24
20 - 30
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Age Group
ERNAKULAM
---------------------------------------------------~-- --------------------
THRISSUR
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8.1
256
257
'.rissur District
Out of
l.:.82
~age
the
110
women
selected
from
Thrissur
urban
area,
from Thrissur
rural
area 12 per
!rnakulam'District
Out of
the
110
women
selected
from
Ernaku1am
urban
area
:J.64 per cent were in the age group of 20-30,32.73 per cent in
::e age group of 30-40 and 33.63 per cent above 40.
Of the 50 women selected from the rural
:elonged to the age group of 20-30,
area
32 per cent
When pooled the total of 320 samples into urban and rural,
:;.73, 40.00
and
32.27
22.00,
:LOO and 44.00 per cent of the rural sample belonged to the age
;roups of 20-30, 30-40 and above 40 respectively.
Thus a total of 25.94 per cent was between 20 and 30, 38.13
258
:.1.1.2
Education
the
fact
:qually educated
,:eas.
and
that
the
enlightend
women
as
in
their
rural
areas
counterparts
were
in
not
urban
8.2
Total
Rural
Grand
Rural
Urban
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No. Per
cent
-------------------------------------------------------------
Urban
No.
Per
cent
55
78
44
43
25.00 25
35.45 14
20.00 16
19.55 45
25
14
16
45
80
92
60
88
25.00
28.75
18.75
27.50
110
100.00 50
100.00 110
100.00
50 100
22 0 1 0 0 00 10 0 100 3 2 0 100. 0 0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30.91
34
48.00
19.09 24
21
P.G/Professional
31.82
35
12.00
39.09
43
Degree/
Diploma
16
16
17.27
19
16.00
22.73
25
P.D.C
66
33
20.00
22
24.00
19.09 12
21
S.S.L.C
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Educational
level
Ernakulam
---------------------------------------------------------------~~~~~----Urban
Rural
Thrissur
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tab:Le
260
'!issur District
Of the 110 women selected from Thrissur urban area 19.09 per
I.:..t
had
S S L C ,
22.73
per
cent
P.D.C.,
39.09
per
cent
.:~r
~llakulam
District
Out of the 110 women selected from the Ernakulam urban area
::.00 per cent had S.S.L.C., 17.27 per cent P.D.C., 31.82 per cent
:egree/diploma and 30.91 per cent post-graduate degee, whereas of
::.e 50 rural
:.D.C., another
27.5
:er cent of the sample had S.S.L.C., 18.75 per cent P.D.C., 28.75
er cent
degree/diploma
rofessional qualifications.
and
25.00
per
cent
post-graduate/
261
I:., viz. ,
educated women with
S.S.L.C.
and
P.D.C qualifications
(46.25
per cent)
with
degree/diploma
and
post-graduate/
The
Chi-square
::gnificant difference
~
value
at
12.69
of
one per
cent
showed
level
a
which
statistically
proved
that
Table 8.3
Classification of the sample into educated and highly educated
Urban
Educated
~ighly
educated
Total
Rural
No.
87
39.55
61
61.00
133
60.45
39
39.00
220
100.00
100
100.00
Chi-square
Per cent
12.69
262
.:,1.3
Employment
::oups viz.,
".2
unemployed class.
revealed the
fact
of employment.
urbanTable
No. Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No. Per
cent
---------------------------------------------------------------------
No. Per
cent
Thrissur
Ernakulam
Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------Grand
Urban
Rural
Urban
Rural
Urban
Rural
Total
12.73
62.72
14
69
28.00
34.00
16.36 14
56.36 17
Professionals 18
Unemployed
48
96.00
4.00
131
32
57
59.54
14.55
"
25.91
65
14
21
46
78
65.00 196
14.00
21.00
61.25
14.38
24.37
110
50
100.00
220
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
--------------------------------------------------~--- ----------------------------------------
62
24.55
27
38.00
27.27 19
Employed
30
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Employment
Status
8.4
Table
264
~issur
District
I~
~nt
were
employed
::ofessionals and
::Iral sample
56.36
38.00
rendering
services,
per
cent
were
employed
16.36
per
whereas
of
rendering
cent
the
50
services,
Ernakulam District
Of
the
I:endering
110
urban
services,
sample
12.73
per
24.55
cent
per
cent
professionals
were
and
employed
62.72
per
, :ent unemployed, whereas of the 50 rural sample 4.00 per cent were
:nployed rendering services,
,rban and 14 per cent of the rural sample professionals and 59.54
~er
cent of
the
:Inemployed.
14.38
urban
and
65.00
per
cent
of
the
rural
sample
per
cent
in
the
service
class
and
14.38
per
cent
professionals.
When
the
total
sample
is
classified
into
employed
and
unemployed classes it was found that 40.46 per cent of the urban
and 35 per cent of the rural sample
cent of
the
urban
and
65
per
cent
the
rural
unemployed.
265
:je difference
~Jral-urban
3~e,
between
area
0.8591
the
found
df(l).
employed
and
non-significant
Therefore
the
unemployed
from
the
hypothesis
sample
of
Chi-square
was
disproved
E~as.
Type of family
of
the
sample
on
the
basis
of
the
type
of
. c ..
8.5
No.
Rural
Urban
Rural
No. Per
cent
Urban
No. Per
cent
Ernaku1am
No. Per
cent
ULDan
Total
No. Per
cent
Rural
No.
Per
cent
Grand Total
30.00
14
Joint
16.00
84.00
27
83
24.55 21
75.45 29
42.00
41
58.00 179
18.64
81.36'
29
71
250
70
71~00
~9.00
21.87
78.13
110 100.00 50 100.00 110 100.00 50 100.00 220 100.00 100 100.00 320 100.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
70.00 42
96
Nuclear
---------------------~-------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Type of
family
Thrissur
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ta.ble:
267
~issur
di s tr i ct
Of the 110 women selected from the urban area 70 per cent
and
30 per cent
belonged to
joint
:makulam district
Of the 110 urban women 75.45 per cent belonged to nuclear
Of the 50
women 58 per cent were from nuclear and 42 per cent from
:int families.
When the total sample was classified into urban and rural it
~fuund
~;ral
that 81.36 per cent of the urban and 71 per cent of the
sample
were
from
nuclear
families,
:10 sample
were
from
nuclear
and
only
per cent of
29
small
the
rural
21.87
per
cent
from
joint
:OlI1ilies.
The Chi-square value 4.3072
:"e sample
was
from
nuclear
(df=l)
families
found
statistically
Marital status
Majority of
Urban
90.00 47
10.00
99
11
Married
Single
No.
Per
cent
No. Per
cent
Rural
No.
Per
cent
Urban
Total
Rural
Noo-Per
cent
No. Per
cent
Grand Total
6.00
31
79
28.18
71.82
8
42
16.00
42
84.00 178
19.09
80.91
11
89
11.00
53
89.00 267
16.56
83.43
110
100.00 50
100.00
100 100.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
94.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Per
cent
Rural
No.
Per
cent
-Urban
'Ernaku1am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No.
status
Marital
Thrissur
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8.6
269
~issur
district
The distribution
,:owed that
::~gle,
:~:
90
per
of
cent
the
of
sample
from
Thrissur
and
urban
10
area
per
cent
cent single.
!rnakulam district
It was
found
that of the
2rtci the urban were married and 28.18 per cent single, while 84
:~r
cent of the rural sample were married and 16 per cent single.
Of the total
:~d
19.09 per cent single, whereas 89 per cent of the rural sample
;~re
uri~
total
320
sample
83.43
per
cent
belonged
to
the
The non-significant
Chi-square
value
3.2465
(df=l)
proved
.1.1.6
annual
family
income.
The
levels
of
income
were
270
st
group)
(4 th group)
~.75,000
(6
th
group) .
the
icts.
rural
and
urban
areas
of
Thrissur
and
Ernakulam
Rural
Urban
Rural
. Urban
Rural
No. Per
cent
Grand Total
No.
Per
cent
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Urban
Total
---------------------------------------------------------------
Ernaku1am
20.00
8.00
12.00
38.00
14.55 10
4
6
5.45
6.36
9.09 19
100.00 50
16
10
110
30000-45000
45000-60000
60000-75000
75000
16
18
13
49
14.55
4.55
8.18
16.36
11.82
44.55
39
2.00
4.00
2.00
14.00
713.00
26
12
15
34
37
96
11.82
5.45
6.82
15.46
16.82
43.64
19
11
15
42
16.25
14.06
6.56
5.94
14.06
52
45
21
19
45
19.00
7.00
6.00
11.00
15.00
43.13
42.00 138
100.00
110 100.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.00
21.82
.. 24
15000-30000
6.00
42.73
47
Upto 15,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
( Rs )
Level of
Income
(Annual)
Thrissur
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8.7
271
272
~issur
district
Of the 110 urban Thrissur sample 42.73 per cent were in the
I::rst income group,
!:'e3rd ,
I
:.~9
::nt,16.00,
20.00,
:!IIIple belonged
to
th
8.00,
the
th
nd
th
and
6.00 per
1 st,
nd
rd
th
th
and
th
income
I ::oups respectively.
i
!rnakulam district
4.55 and
nd
,3
rd
,4
th
and
:ent belonged
that 43.64,
to
groups, whereas of
the
16.82, 15.46,
st
nd
the rural
rd
sample
6.82,
th
42.00,
th
and
15.00,
th
11.00,
income
6.00,
16.25,
2
nd
rd
14.06,
,
th
6.56,
5
th
5.94,
and
th
273
Thlls 1IIi1:j0ri I-.y
0f
1-l1r
"illllp1 r
\)r1ol1tjrd
i ncolnr
low
to
Only
(jroupR.
11.82 per cent of the urban and 19.00 per cent of the rural women
to families having an annual income of h.75000/-.
~longed
8.1
For
sample
the
and
to
measurement
find
out
methods
of
the
were
the
consumer
factors
adopted
awareness
that
viz.
among
contribute
(1)
to
Multiple
the
their
Linear
awareness
two
~gression
the allotted values for the consumer rights given by the presidents
8.2
the
Method
the
indicator variables.
six
consumer
purpose are
RI
the right
to know
R2
the right
to choose
R3
the right
to consumer education
were
taken
as
identified for
the
the
274
the right
to safety
RS
the right
to be heard and
R6
the right to
get redressed.
rights
questionnaire
Often (3)
among
structured
Rarely
(4)
The
women.
for
Very
the
options
purpose
rarely
and
( 1)
were
(5)
given
Never.
in
the
Always
(2. )
The allotted
Often
Rarely
Very rarely
Never
- 1
0
purity I
contributing
potency I
factors.
six
variables
were
given
equal
weightage and the average value was taken as the awareness score.
In the case of the remaining five consumer rights only one variable
each
contributed
to
the
awareness.
The
average
values
of
the
awareness scores of each sample unit were used for identifying the
awareness index.
At first the variance variables
was
calculated
using
MSTAT-C
statistical
Package.
275
The
the
principal
components.
The
principal
components
with
their
Principal
Components
Latent
Roots
PI
96.702
52.552
41.105
22.338
18.910
10.281
15.112
8.473
Ps
8.232
8.473
3.946
2.144
P
P
2
3
4
Percentage
Variance
above
contributed
0.404
equation
towards
indicated
the
that
awareness
RI
the
index,
right
R2
the
to
know
right
to
276
choose
contributed
1.00,
R3
the
right
to
consumer
education
be
heard
contributed
0.465
and
R6
the
right
to
get
determined
by
the
right
to
choose
and
the
right
to
index
ie,
PI was
correlated
the
socio-
in order to find
with
out
The socio-economic
Xl
Age
X
2
Education
X3
occupation
X
4
Marital status
Xs
Annual Income
x6
Type of family
These socio-economic
characteristics were
analytical convenience.
given dummy
values
Education
Degree holders
Others
for
277
occupation
Employed
Unemployed
Marital status
Married
Unmarried
Type of family
Nulcear family
Joint family
Actual
age
oorrelation
~lculated
table 8.8.
and
income
coefficients
and
the
were
considered
between
resulting
the
for
the
indicator
correlation
matrix
study.
The
variables
were
is
shown
in
0.157
**
0.330
Education
0.180
Annual income
Type of family
0.192
*
0.193
0.059
**
0.323
1.000
**
0.383
Education
0.102
0.145
*
0.202
**
0.394
1.000
Employment
-0.021
1.000
*
0.200
*
0.212
Married
or
Single
Annual
income
Type of
family
Awareness
Index
0.030
0.187
1.000
0.162
1.000
1.000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**
0.463
*
0.292
Married or
Single
Employment
1.000
Age
Age
Variables
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8.8
278
279
also
employment.
correlated
leads
showed
which
to more
significant
substantiated
employment
the
fact
opportunities.
correlation
with
that
Annual
education
and
major .factors
contributed
more
to the
awareness
of women
than the factors such as age, employment, marital status and annual
income.
The
Multiple
Linear
Regression
Analysis
revealed
that
the
in table 8.9.
280
Table 8.9
Results of Multiple Linear Regression Analysis
Variables
Regression
Coefficient
Student
T Value
Age
-0.00576
-1.268
Education
0.17011 *
2.541
Employment
0.081185
1.128
Married or Single
-0.043558
-0.472
Annual Income
-0.0000007
-0.750
Type of Family
0.20036 *
Intercept
0.795187, R
2.641
0.062
they
are
aware of
their
consumer
rights
and
women
in
nuclear families are more aware of their consumer rights than women
in joint families.
281
2nd Method
For
sample.
giving
weightage
to
the
six
consumer
Ten presidents
of
selected to give
10
Right to know
Right to choose
Right to safety
Right to be heard
Using these mean values Index I was calculated by using the formula
Index I
10 Xl + 8 X2 + 6 X3 + 4 X4 + 2 Xs + X6
31
Xl'
x2 '
282
Using
this
When
the
Index
awareness
socio-economic
indices
were
characteristics
calculated
of
the
directly.
sarnple
were
"rab1co
8.1..0
Age
Education
Employment
Statu~
Ma-rital
Annual
Income
Type of
family
Index
0.157
**
0.330
**
0.463
*
0.292
Education
0.043
Index I
0.192
**
0.379
0.059
**
0.323
1.000
**
0.383
---------------r---------------~--
0.180
Type of family
Annual Income
Marital Status
Employment
1.000
Age
jr
-0.206
0-.145
1.000
*
0.202
**
0.394
1.000
*
0.187
*
0.253
1.000
*
0.233
1.000
--~--------------------------------
0.115
1.000
*
0.200
*
0.212
------------------------------------------------------ ---~-------------------------------
Socio-economic
features
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
correlation Matrix
284
Under
~ajor
this
factors
I education
method
that
the
correlation
contributed
to
the
matrix
showed
awareness
of
that
the
women
were
The Multiple
Linear Regression
Analysis
also
substantiated
Regression
Coefficient
student
T Value
Age
-0.00772
-0.884
Education
0.33296 **
5.361
Employment
0.00250
0.662
Married or Single
-0.011816
-1.817
Annual Income
-0.0027527
-0.662
Type of family
0.037234**
2.602
Intercept
R2
-0.791160
0.177
These two methods agree with the same factors that education
and nuclear
type of
consumer awareness
~~thesis
family
among
played
women.
a
This
very
important
result
supports
the
in
the
third
role
8.2.2.1
Urban Vs rural
8.2.2.2
Complainants Vs non-complainants
8.2.2.3
Employed Vs unemployed
8.2.2.4
Married Vs single
8.2.2.5
8.2.2.6
285
:.2.7
below
using Student's
(Details of awareness
rural
sample
were
found
to
be
0.9354
and
0.4875
found
statistically significant,
~.:al
am~ng
women.
.:4
~e
come forward to complain in the Fora are more aware than the
::hers.
286
Employed Vs unemployed
1.2.2.3
unemployed
women
respectively which
were
found
showed only
to
be
0.8771
slight difference
and
0.7437
between
the
two.
The difference was statistically proved significant with the
t-
value, 2.2387.
8.2.2.4
On the
basis
of
the marital
status
the
awareness
of
267
married and 53 single women was compared using the mean values of
~e
awareness indices.
The t
between
the
value
married
0.1185
and
showed a
single
non-significant difference
women.
Therefore
the
marital
to 250 nuclear
awareness
and
indices
70
were
0.6176 respectively.
joint
families
calculated
and
the
mean
found
to
values
be
of
the
0.8488
and
287
The
value
ru~~ntiating
3.1422
showed
a 'sigriificant
difference
:he others.
;.2.2.6
In the
course
lifference
between
Ernakulam
districts
of
the
study
it was
found
the
awareness
of
women
as
indicated
by
the
that
from
mean
there was
Thrissur
values
of
and
the
between
Ernakulam districts.
the
awareness
of
women
from
Thrissur
and
1.2.2.7
The higher the level of education among women the more they
ueaware of their consumer rights.
The mean value of the awareness indices of the 172 highly
educated women
was
0.8828
and
that
of
148
educated
women
was
3.0426 proving that the awareness among the highly educated women
that
of
the
educated.
Therefore
for
increasing
288
Therefore it was proved that women who were employed, highly
educated,
in urban
area,
in nuclear families
of
total
score
calculated
for
each
sample
was
of each and
Table 8.11
Awareness of the consumer rights among women
Consumer rights
Mean value
Right to know
0.831
Right to choose
0.812
0.775
Right to safety
0.568
Right to be heard
0.702
0.434
289
'Cable 8.11 revealed that the level of awareness was maximum
: the case of the right to know and it was the least in the case
~~e
Urban Vs rural
The mean of the awareness scores of the 220 urban and 100
~~
:tween
~rtion
value
the
two
1.5208
showed
substantiating
the
non-significant
fact
that
there
variation
was
no
";ral sample
.3.1.2
Complainants Vs non-complainants
The
mean
value
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
100
.3.1.3
Employed Vs unemployed
value
2.1390
was
found
statistically
significant
:plying that the employed women are more aware of this right than
1e
unemployed.
290
8.3.1. 4
Married Vs single
The
Hence it
value
is
proved
1.2412
that
was
the
not
statistically
marital
status
of
significant.
women
did
not
than
\wmen
in
joint
families.
The
mean
of
the
~dkating
value
3.8142
was
statistically
significant
Thrissur
and
Ernakulam
districts
were
0.845
and
0.817
respecti vely
The t
291
U.l. 7
The t
value,
that the highly educated women were more aware of the right than
~eeducated
women.
Right to choose
8.3.2
0.3.2.1
Urban Vs rural
The mean values of the awareness scores were 0.780 and 0.883
in the case of urban and rural samples respectively.
The t
ilirt the rural women were more aware of the right to choose than
the others.
8.3.2.2
Complainants Vs non-complainants
The mean
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
complainants
was
significant
value
(3.9588)
was
obtained
8.3.2.3
Employed Vs unemployed
292
The
test
showed
non-significant
result
of
1.5453
;.3.2.4
Married Vs single
The
mean
values
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
married
value
Hence
:icant.
it
1.7254
is
was
pr<?ved
found
that
the
statistically
marital
non-signi-
status
did
not
The
telonging
mean
to
values
nuclear
of
and
the
awareness
joint
families
scores
were
of
the
women
0.807
and
0.829
respecti vely
The t
~
in nuclear and
joint families.
8.3.2.6
value
proving
the
2.4611
was
found
to
fact
that
there
was
be
statistically
variation
in
the
293
].2.7
value,
Dstantiating
the
4.7119
greater
was
awareness
statistically
of
this
significant
right
among
the
3.3.1
Urban Vs rural
The mean
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
value showed a
the
3.3.2
Complainants Vs non-complainants
of
the awareness
scores
of
the
complainan ts
was
the Fora
are
of
this
right
than
the
1.3.3
Employed Vs unemployed
mean
The
value
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
employed
The
value
4. 7119
was
significant
imply ins
that
the
0~ed
3.3.4
Married Vs single
The mean
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the women
in
nuclear
The
value
3.2418
was
found
statistically
significant
The
value
4.9558
was
found
to
be
statistically
:.3.3.7
value
;~bstantiating
3.7292
was
statistically
significant
Urban Vs rural
:.3.4.1
:f the urban sample was 0.564 and that of the rural .0.578.
'the t
val.u.e r
~ .I\I\~~
"Was
st.at.ist.ical.l.y
non-siqnif. icant. r
implying that the awareness of this right between the urban and
rural sample is the same.
8.3.4.2
Complainants Vs non-complainants
The mean of
the awareness
scores of
the
complainants
was
value,
0.1767
was
statistically
non-significant
which proved that the awareness of the right to safety among the
complainants and non-complainants was almost the same.
Employed Vs unemployed
:.3.4.3
mean
The
:~ong the
the
awareness
scores
of
the
right
to
safety
The
,jch
of
value,
1.1769
was
statistically
non-significant
'~?loyed
.3.4.4
variation .
Married Vs single
mean
The
value
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
right
to
::fety in the case of married women \Vas 0.584 and in the case of
::ngle women O. 496
t
The
value,
2.7582
showed
statistically
significant
:riation proving that married women were more aware of the right
:~
:.3.4.5
The
of
the
awareness
scores
of
the women
in nuclear
The
:.3.4.6
The
297
The t
:jnificant
:~tto
!:,).4.7
substantiating
the
fact
that
the
awareness
of
the
value
i~~ntiating
of
2.1390
was
found
to
be
significant
Urban Vs rural
The mean of
the
awareness
scores
of
the
statistically
non-significant.
The
value
0.2608
was
:.3.5.2
Complainants Vs non-complainants
aware of
:wareness
their
scores
of
right to
be
complainants
heard.
was
The mean
0.770
and
~he
Fora are
value
that
of
of
the
non-
:omplainan ts O. 672 .
The t
test showed a
:.5.3
~e
':= that
Employed Vs unemployed
mean of the
a~areness
The
:jnificant.
value,
3.7292
was
found
statistically
The
~plying
value
1.4696
was
statistically
non-significant
:.3.5.5
The
value
0.3942
was
statistically
non-significant
. U.5.6
The
value
implying
:;nificant
was
4.6933
that
there
found
was
to
be
district
statistically
to
district
:riation.
:.3.5.7
value
5.0070
was
found
to
be
statistically
Urban Vs rural
sampl e
The t
test
showed
statistically
significant
value
of
Complainants Vs non-complainants
lience
Employed Vs unemployed
.l.6.3
test
::oving that
there
:~r
to
right
showed
was
get
not
non-significant
much
variation
redressed
between
value
in
the
the
of
0.8750
awareness
employed
and
of
the
.:.employed.
:.3.6.4
Married Vs single
value
0.0066
was
found
to
be
statistically
non-
'.3.6.5
The
mean
:elonging to
values
nuclear
of
and
the
awareness
joint
families
scores
were
of
the
women
0.464
and
0.329
:especti vely .
The
:ignificant
value
substantiating
2.0271
the
was
found
fact
that
to
be
statistically
in joint families.
301
:.6.6 Thrissur district Vs Ernakulam district
The mean values of awareness scores of the Thrissur sample
.:nificant
value
proving
the
5.7978
fact
\vas
found
to
that
there
was
be
statistically
variation
in
the
educated and
,':e more aware of the right to get redressed than the educated.
the
extent of
consciousness
of
the
consumers
in
Price
::ne of purchase.
;;11
302
The
reasons
for
not
bothering
about
the
prices
with
:eference to remaining 40.84 per cent of the urban and 20 per cent
:: the rural could be attributed to the following factJrs.
Reasons for not asking about the price (Bar diagram 8.1)
34.69 per cent of the urban and 30 per cent of the rural sample
~re
s<lmple trusted
the
traders where
cent trusted
the
traders.
This
led
to
the
belief
that
the
18.37 per cent of the urban sample and 15 per cent of the rural
sample were unaware that the price was displa.yed on the packet.
12.25 per cent of the urban and 10 per cent of the rural sample
pff
cent
of
the
rural
sample
just
bought
without
20
any
least
important
reason
was
the
lack
of
willingness
of
303
Bar
d:l.agrarn
8.1
301.
o
Runl
Urban
bother about pr i ee
A.
B.
C.
D.
Don ' t
E.
D.
304
In all 33.33 per cent when quality was good, 23.19 per cent
!?cause of their
/.:.59
trust
in
the
trader,
15.94
due
to
ignorance,
per cent in case of essential items did not bother about the
:rice, 11.59 per cent made blind purchases and 6 per cent owing to
:~aders'
Reasons
for
not
bothering
about
the
price
was
ranked
Table 8.12
Reasons for not asking about the price
Ranks
Reasons
Urban
Rural
If quality is good
~ust
~t
as
305
:~ple.
The
value
2.776
proved
that
the
rural
difference
is
:signif icant .
,;,4.1.2
Quality
I
At the time of purchase a responsible consumer would try to
:::~pare
~mple
70
per cent of
the rural
of
substitutes
available.
:ence it
~aking
was
thought
worth
investigating
the
reasons
for
not
was made.
purchased
from
well-reputed
shop
the rural
selling
quality
products.
29.70 per cent of the urban and 16.68 per cent of
~mple
the rural
per
cent
quali ty products.
of
the
rural
sample
did
not
the urban
bother
to
and
buy
3 06
dia.g.:raDJ.
Bar
Reasons for-
B.2
4"/.
51.
l11.
:1
161.
:!
I!I
3~.'. _
Urb.n
Rural
I
A,
B.
Lack of awareness
C.
D.
Lack of time
E.
Don' t
F.
307
10.89 per
cent of
sample felt
the urban
that
they
have
and
no
10
per
time
cent
to
of
spend
the
rural
comparing
the
quali ty of substitutes.
per cent of
the
urban
sample
'l'he
were
not
the rural
bothered
to
purchase
sample rose to
23
per
cent.
The indifference of the sellers in imparting informations about
the quality dissuaded 4.95 per cent of the urban and 13.33 per
reasons
stated
by
the
total
sample
were
as
')llows:
goods,
::ght to
in
~avier
know,
26. 72
the
than quality,
case
per
of
cen t
were
not
17.56
per
cent,
awa re
price
of
their
weighed
:;ality of goods, 9.16 per cent were not at all bothered about the
:;ality and 6.87 per cent opined that the sellers were not willing
:) give informations.
The reasons cited by the urban and rural sample were ranked
:5
in table 8.13.
308
Table 8.13
Reasons for not comparing the quality of goods
Ranks
Urban
Rural
Lack of time
~y
df
==
between
The t
the
reasons
stated
by
the
urban
and
rural
reasons is insignificant.
U.1.3
Purity/unadulteration
Consumers had a
pure and
unadulterated
The
study
revealed
that a
great
made
sure
that
they
get
pure
and
unadulterated
309
ds.
j::r diagram
8.3).
I
~ct
was the main reason as vouched by 79.43 per cent of the urban
md 66.15 per cent of the rural sample.
,~bsence
of
testing facilities
unadulterated
condition
of
to make
goods
sure of
made
the purity or
consumers
helpless
Koording to 9.22 per cent of the urban and 20 per cent of the
rural sample.
Lack of time detered 7.80 per cent of the urban and 6.15 per
cent of the
rural
sample
from making
sure of
the purity of
goods.
: It was impossible to change the traders' attitude and they were
content with whatever goods available was another reason stated
by 5 per
cent of
the urban
and
7.70
per
cent
of
the
rural
sample.
Of the total sample only 35.62 per cent made sure that the
~s
~HARK,
I. S . I.
etc.
12.62
per
cent
due
due to lack of
to
helplessness
in
this
310
Bar
diagram
8.3
41,
81,
8 1,
9 '/,
20'/,
!1
o L-----~~~~~~~------~
Urban
Rural
as such
lack of time
311
; ::use of the indifferent attitude of traders could not make sure
: :he purity of goods.
The reasons stated by the urban and rural women were shown
:n table 8.14.
Table 8.14
Reasons for not ensuring the purity or unadulteration
Urban
~oos
Rural
No.
Per
cent
No.
112
79.43
43
66.15 155
75.25
13
9.22
13
20.00
26
12.62
11
7.80
6.15
15
7.28
3.55
7.70
10
4.85
141
100.00
65
~ack
of time
~:.e
(df
3)
was
Per
cent
Total
No. Per
cent
found
significant at
::e per cent level proving the difference in reasons stated by the
312
.U.4
Potency
about
the
contents I
safety
hazardous
nature
of
57.72 per cent of the urban and 48 per cent of the rural
:'Jds.
:~ple
or
of
the
urban
and
52
per
cent
The reasons
the remaining
of
the
rural
47.27
sample
per
were
.:.vestigated as follows:
: A great
majority of
71.15
per
cent of the rural sample opined that they did not get enough
~furrnations
about
the
contents
or
hazardous
or
unhealthy
condition of goods.
10.58 per cent of the urban and 15.38 per cent of the rural
sample depended on their previous
experience
in
avoiding
the
harmful goods.
6 per cent each of the urban and rural sample were not aware
ilirt harmful and injurious goods are sold in the market.
4.80 per
cent
of
the
urban
and
7.69
per
cent
of
the
rural
The
total
sample
revealed
that
non-availability
of
::iformations was the major reason to 76.28 per cent I whereas 12.18
:er cent took care to buy goods they know to be safe and harmless
:;om their experience.
5.77
of the
fact
:jat harmful
and
injurious
goods
were
sold
in
the
markets
and
:or not making sure that the goods are safe and harmless is shown
:n table 8.1S
Table 8.15
Reasons for not ensuring that the goods are safe and harmless
Urban
Rural
Total
No. Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
82
78.85
37
71.1S
76.28
Depends on previous
~perience and buy harmless goods
11
10.S8
lS.38
12.18
Reasons
Per cent
5.77
S.78
5.77
8.40
7.69
5.77
104
100.00
S2
100.00
100.00
Total
df = 3
The
chi-square
value
(1.4304)
was
found
to
be
non-signif icant implying that the reasoning was not signif icantly
different by the urban and rural sample.
Ba .:r
d :1..
.c.'
R .r...- .l .' rn
U _ /I
4.801.
5.771.
10.58:/.v~
7.691.
5.78 1.
15.38 /.
7!
1,6
I
78.83 1.
III
71.15'/.
o
Urban
Rural
A.
the cont en t s o f
~.
C.
D.
good s
t o b e in fo r med of t he potency .
315
~e
harmlessness or
~:arative
testing of
goods
and
use
of
the
media
for dissemi-
U.S Standards
: the urban and 53 per cent of the rural sample alwaxs made sure
.~
: the standard of the goods they bought and the remaining 56.36
:~:
cent of the urban and 47 per cent of the rural sample were not
:~e
The
::3S0ns for this were enumerated as given below (Bar diagram 8.5).
: While a majority of
the urban
sample were
38.71 per cent of the urban and 74.47 per cent of the rural
sample
were
not
aware
of
the
urban
the
standards
required
and
the
standard marks.
8.06 per
cent
of
and
8.51
per
cent
of
the
rural
Of the total sample 43.27 per cent were carried away by the
l::vertisement,
:~~uired
48.55
while
were
not
aware
of
the
standards
and the standard marks and 8.18 per cent of the consumers
the s Landanl .
Table 8.16
Reasons for not ensuring the standards of goods
Rural
Urban
Reasons
No. Per
cent
. Depends on advertisements
No.
Total
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
66
53.23
17.02
74
43.27
38.71
35
74.47
83
48.54
10
8.06
8.51
14
8.19
124
100.00
47
100.00
: Not bothered
Total
**
2
X = 19.307
df
171 100.00
B.a.r
d
.1..a.gr.a.rn
8_5
' il
----------------------------------------~
II
"
8.06,
8.511.
38.7 1'/.
11
74.477.
17.02/.
Urban
Rural
~A ~B ~C
\.
l.
.,
318
:.4.1.6
Quantity
Non-availability
:~ncern
of
goods
of all consumers.
in
right
quantity
is
major
:3 per cent of the rural sample always made sure that they got the
:ight quantity of goods,
:ent of the rural sample had not made sure of the right quantity.
:~e
reasons
cited
th~
by
sample
for
not
ensuring
the
right
80.85 per
umple
other traders
J 12.76 per
sample
the rural
stated
that
the
traders
would
continue
the rural
to
do
so
6.38
per
sample
cent
opined
oorruptive
of
the
that
and
not
urbun
the
und
Weights
making
per
2.13
and
sure
cent
Measures
that
correct
of
the
rurul
Department
weights
is
and
got right quantity of goods, wereas 29.38 per cent were not
bothered about
this
anti-social
acti vi ty.
The
reasons
for
not
the
goods
uccording
to
77.66
per
cen t , t h e
truders'
319
~:ifference
~
consumers,
,:artment
was
whereas
the
the
deterring
corruptive
factQr
Weights
to
4.25
and
per
Measures
c/~nt
of
the
;::;ple.
Table 8.17
Reasons for not ensuring the right quantity
, Rural
Reasons
Total
Urban
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
38
80.85
35
74.46
73
77.66
12.76
11
23.40
17
18.09
corruptive practice of
the weights and
Measures Department
leaving consumers helpless
6.38
2.13
4.25
. Non-co-operation of
other traders
..
_--------------------------------------------------------------47
Total
x2 =
4.84
The
chi-square
df
100.00
47
100.00
94
100.00
value
(4.34)
was
found
non-significant
320
I ::oose the
'~r
money's worth.
Of the sample surveyed for the study 30.45 per cent of the
sample always
requested
the
:;.55 per cent of the urban and 45 per cent of the rural sample
:ld not do so.
I
~ck
reason according to 32.03 per cent of the urban and 48.89 per
cent of the rural sample.
30.06 per cent of the urban and 17.78 per cent of
the rural
asking.
20.26 per cent of the urban and 11.11 per cent of
the rural
traders to show
the varieties.
17.65 per cent of the urban and 37 per cent of the rural sample
due to lack of time did not choose the best from the available
varieties.
.;
321
Of the total 35.85 per cent due to lack of awareness of the
::t, 27.26 per cent due to the absence of the need,
~u~
~~
since they
got goods ,from super markets, 18.69 per cent due to lack
The study
::1'
revealed
that
those
who
goods
from
purchase
....
------------------------------------------------------------Urban
Rural
Reasons
No. Per cent
No.
Per cent
49
45.80
22
23.16
31
28.97
36
37.89
No time to choose
27
25.23
37
38.95
-------------------------------------------------------------
.. --------------------------------------------------------------
107
Total
100.00
95
100.00
...-------------------------------------------------------------
x2 = 11.5284
df = 2
322
Bar '
B.B
17.651
20.261.
!I
[)(xXX'JOOY)d 4a891.
32.031.
Urban
Rural
~A ~ B ~CQ1 D
Q.
t.
C.
o.
No ti me to choo se.
323
The study also revealed
cent
::utation or
of
the
good\vill
rural
of
the
sample
were
manufacturer,
influenced
14.55
per
by
cent
the
of
c urban and 16.00 per cent of the rural sample by brand name,
,:.45 per cent of the urban and 35.00 per cent of the rural by the
(table 8.19
and Bar
:lgram 8. 7 ) .
Table 8.19
Factors influencing the choice of goods
Urban
Factors
Per cent
Rural
Per cent
Total
Per cent
25.00
19.00
23.13
Brand name
14.55
16.00
15.00
45.45
35.00
42.19
15.00
30.00
16.69
Of the total,
:: the manufacturer, 15.00 per cent by brand name, 42.19 per cent
:i quality of the goods they know from experience and 16.69 per
~rt
Bar
32 4
cl.:i...ag:::ra.rn
B . 7
1-
li
11
III
1
o
Urban
Rural
~A~BIYJ C (]D
I.
I.
Brand name
c.
D.
325
~e
Ranks
Urban
Rural
1- .. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
,,
I Brand name
I, Quality
"
~e
rank correlation R
t
value
proved
the
non-significant
and
sample.
:,4,3
Every
':.ables
consumer
has
consumer
:~sponsibili ties.
right
education
rights
her/his
which
and
the
to
consumer
understand
to
to
market.
know
techniques,
the
common
to
identify
adulterants
used
and
fight
in
foods,
326
presence
of
the
adulterants.
Therefore
consumer
has
The survey highlighted the fact that while cent per cent of
the
urban
sample
had
access
to
various
sources
of
consumer
per
consumer
of
~ucational
the
rural
the
newspapers,
sample
got
consumer
informations
from
news
rural
interactions
sample
consumer
got
with friends,
informations
family members,
through
colleagues
etc.,
and
only 2.27 per cent of the urban and 3.13 per cent of the rural
sample gathered such news from VCOs.
Of the total 81.69 per cent got consumer news through the
mass media, 5.28 per cent through educational institutions, 10.56
per cent through interaction with friends,
family
etc.
and 2.46
". --
"
study
it
is
clear
that
the
mass
media
plays
rural
recognised
consumers.
as
universities,
a
the
Since
subject
in
educational
consumer
the
education
curriculum
institutions
are
is
in
not
widely
colleges
not
playing
and
an
327
in
the
survey
they
cannot
devote
much
time
and
{l993}
done
handling
was
by
CERC,
ranked
Ahmedabad endorsed
first
of
the
this
fact.
eight
enunciated
that
consumers'
activities.
Right to be heard
8.4.5
Right
to
be
heard
and
to
be
assured
All
faction
the
in
respondents
goods
owing
at
to
one
time
or
adulteration,
other
felt
dissatis-
over-pricing,
short-
institutional,
financial
and
other
services
as
followed in chapter 7.
The
consumer
dissatisfaction
with
reference
to
various
328
Table 8.21
Consumer satisfaction with reference to various services
(Percentages)
Urban
Rural
Total
Satisfaction
Dissatisfaction
1 Household
41.82
58.18
63.00
37.00
48.40 51.56
2 Institutional
36.82
63.18
57.00
43.00
43.13 56.85
3 Financial
54.09
45.91
76.00
24.00
60.94 39.53
4 Others
50.45
49.54
62.00
38.00
54.06 45.73
Services
Table 8.21 shows that 58.18 per cent of the irban and 37.00
per cent of the rural sample were dissatisfied with the household
services, 63.18 and 43.00 per cent of the urban and rural sample
respectively were dissatisfied with institutional services,
and 24.00 per
cent of the
rural
and urban
samples
45.91
respectively
were dissatisfied wi t'h financial services and 49.54 and 38.00 per
~nt
dissati~fied
\Vi th
the
household
and
these services.
since
the
service
institutional
sample were
undertakings
services
and
satisfied with
are
government
329
undertak.ings
with
monopoly
power
and
uniform
practi(;es
aud
urban
~ffmounting
was mainly
and
rural
sample
showed
satisfaction.
The
by
few
private
had
over
mushrooming
financiers
like
Janapriya,
financial
(private)
institutions
is
Table 8.22
~eTable
Services
Urban (No)
dissatisfied
Chi-square
Household
128
37
12.35 **
Insti tutional
139
43
11.42 **
Financial
101
24
13.86 **
Others
109
38
3.69
Rural (No.)
dissatisfied
330
The chi-squares shown in table 8.22 revealed that in the case
cl household,
in
the
level
dissatisfaction
of
is
proved
statistically
significant difference
in
the
dissatisfaction of
the
ilmon<J
which
this chapter.
is
proved
Therefore
f;LI'~if;'~icillly ~~;iqlli
to encourage women
to
riCilnt ('ilLlif>r
come
forward
in
to
sense
for
which
the
level
of
awareness should
be
increased.
Right to be redressed
8.4.6
can
assert
their
right
to
get
redressed
either
by
331
8.4.6.1
When complaints
varied depending
~terprise
on
were
made
whether
to
it was
the
a
traders
private
or
their
response
public
sector
had experienced a
who had
mixed reaction.
taken up their
compensated
rding
to
the
loss
after
repeated
complaining acco-
39.22 per cent and redressal was denied to 6.86 per cent of the
urban sample.
Among
the
rural'
consumers
the
traders
redressed
the
the loss when complained repeatedly in the case of 47.62 per cent
and the traders compensated the loss after filing the complaint by
38.10 per cent in the redressal agency.
complaining,
complained
another
repeatedly and
4.90
per
cent
got
redressal
when
was granted only after filing the complaint in the Fora and 75.49
per cent never got redressed by the traders.
332
Of
grievances
redressal
the
rural
sample
immediately
when
4.76
after
complained
per
cent
complaining,
repeatedly,
got
redressed
14.29
while
9.52
per
their
cent
got
cent
got
and 71.43
per
per
When the urban and rural samples pooled together the result
was as in table 8.23.
Table 8.23
Experiences of the consumers when complained to the traders
dealing with goods and services
Traders dealing in
Experience of the
consumer
Goods
(per cent)
1 Redressed immediately
Services
(per cent)
13.83
4.88
40.65
6.50
39.02
13.82
6.50
74.80
100.00
100.00
repeated complaining
3 Compensated after complaining
in the Fora
4 Not redressed by the trader
Total
When the urban and rural sample pooled together on the basis
of goods
and
services,
it was
found
that
the
total
complaints
May be this
~otection
is due
to
the
state
patronage
and
the
legal
Even though the traders did not redress their disputes the
women never filed
redressal.
~omplaint
getting
Table 8.24
The preference ranking of the reasons for not filing
complaints in the Fora
Preference
ranking
Reasons
Urban
Rural
for them
df = 5
3]1/
'l'he
rank
correlation
correlation
between
the
0.1428
reasons.
which
The
showed
value
posi ti ve
2.571
proved
of
their husbands.
"To my mind,
the bringing
to
possible
achievements
can
the
home
the
provide,
best
require
not
help
merely
which
the
modern
greatest
task,
although
hold
She is
the
These
peculiarly fitted
view
that
occupations
for
like
stigma or
11
low.
Of
the
per
sample
cent
only
were
6.36
not
per
cent
involved
whereas
movement.
in
were
involved,
~r
93.64
urban
the
335
In ,general no difference could be
";ral/llrblll1 origin
~rt~s
llS
the'
II
located
irrespective of
::e preference
::titude of the
:~stil
were
society
(3)
change
the
(4)
(I)
Educate
women
( 2)
confidence in women.
These
when
':~ncordance the
subjected
answer was
to
the
Kendall
co-eff icient
of
:,is.
I;:atistically
significant by X
family objections
lack of interest
not interested
336
~amily
objections
The t
0.3.
:ntering
responsibilities
into
the
and
consumer
so
women
protection
are
deterred
movement.
from
Noreover I
activism as pointed
out
taken
:evel of education,
studied
in
two
stages
into
level of
employment
status,
rural,
marital
this
study
only
goods
were
taken
into
consideration
are restricted.
Food
items
biscuits,
that
bread,
include
rice,
tea,
wheat,
coffee,
sugar,
coriander,
egg,
chilly,
337
Household
cooker,
durables
oven,
that
grinder,
include
television,
washing
ftidge,
machine,
mixi,
covering
and
car,
Ornaments
including
gold,
gold
silver
ornaments.
Publications
including
books,
magazines,
journals,
newspapers etc.
Decision-making
for
purchase
and
the
actual
purchase
for
family needs can be done in three ways such as (1) by women alone
(2)
Women play an
,.,
alone and/or
in the
groups
analytical
convenience
the
following
groups
were
338
On
the
basis
educated
of
women
qualifications
had
education
including
women
those
were
who
grouped
had
(2)
Degree/Diploma,
Post-graduate
as (table 8.3)
S.S.L.C
and
P.D.C
including those
and
who
professional
qualifications.
the
b On
basis
of
income
women
below
between
more than
LW
were
grouped
under
three
~.15,OOO
~.15,OOO
and
~.30,OOO
and
~.30,OOO.
unemployed.
The
purchase
u~an-rural,
As
the
behaviour
of
women
was
also
studied
on
purchase
behaviour
regarding
decision-making
and
percentage
Decision-making
:.5.1.1
The
Employment
participation
of
employed
and
unemployed
women
in
339
Table 8.25
Participation of women in decision-making on the basis
of employment
Goods
Non-participation
Food
Participation
Clothes
Non-participation
Participation
Household
Durables
Non-participation
Participation
Ornaments
Publications
Per
cent
14
11.29
110
11
113
115
No. Per
cent
square
45
22.96
88.71 151
78.04
8.87
42
21.43
91.13 154
78.57
7.26
54
27.55
92.74 142
72.45
39
19.89
120
96.77 157
80.11
Non-participation
37
29.84 112
57.14
Participation
87
70.16
84
42.86
Non-participation
28
22.58 117
59.69
Participation
96
77.42
40.31
Non-participation
Participation
Building
Materials
No.
3.23
79
'.'
**
7.1372
**
8.9948
**
20.5229
**
18.8365
**
22.6413
**
42.0028
140
Food
women
had
participation
in
78.04
decision
per
cent of
making
the
for
the
cent of
the
of food items'.
b Clothes
91.13 per cent of the employed and
78.57
per
Household durables
92.74 per cent of the employed and
72.45
per
cent of
the
household durables.
d Ornaments
96.77
unemployed
~rchasing
had
participation
in
per
decision
cent of
the
making
for
cent of
the
ornaments.
e Building materials
70.16 per cent of the employed and
42.86
per
341
f
Publications
role
in deciding
about
the
the
purchase of
publications.
The study revealed that the employed women had greater role
in decision making for the purchase of all the group of goods than
the unemployed.
In
ornaments
the
case
the
of
food,
participation
clothes,
household
of
the
both
durables
employed
and
and
the
and
publications
the
unemployed
had
chi-square
difference proving
value
that
showed
statistically
significant
decision making than the unemployed women in all the six groups of
goods at one per cent level.
Hence the
fourth
hypothesis
that
the
emplo:<:?ed women
8.5.1.2
have
supported.
Education
Role of education
in participation of
women
in decision-
342
Table 8.26
Participation in decision-making on the basis of education
Type of
Participation/
Non-participation No.
Goods
Food
Clothes
Ornaments
Publications
Per
cent
49
33.11
23
13~37
Participation
99
66.89 149
86.63
Non-participation
31
20.95
23
13.37
79.05 149
86.63
117
'J
Non-partic~pation
60
40.54
25
14.53
Participation
88
59.46 147
85.47
Non-participation
22
14.86
60
34.88
85.14 117
65.12
Participation
Building
Materials
No.
Non-participation
Participation
Household
Durables
Per
cent
126
Non-participation
94
63.51
80
46.51
Participation
54
36.49
92
53.49
Non-participation
93
62.84
RIl
1l8.81l
Participation
55
37.16
88
51.16
Chisquare
**
17.7684
3.2529
**
27.5781
**
16.7264
9.2684
6.3081
343
Food
66.89
highly
per
educated
cent of
women
participated
in
per cent of
decision-making
for
the
the
79.05
highly
per
educated
cent of
women
participated
in
per cent of
decision-~laking
for
the
the
purchase of clothes.
Household durables
59.46
highly
per
educated
cent of
women
participated
in
decision-making
for
the
Ornaments
While 85.14 per cent of the educated and 65.12 per cent of
ornaments
14.86 per
cent of
the
Building materials
36.49
per
cent of
63.49
per cent of
the
344
no participation
purchasing
building
materials.
f
Publications
While 37.16 per cent of the educated and 51.16 per cent of
the highly
~ucated
educated women
participated,
62.84
per
cent
of
the
and 48.84 per cent of the highly educated women did not
percentage
of
participation
in
decision-making
had
for
the
publications.
.~
for
the
purchase
of
food,
household
durables,
Mnaments and publications at one per cent level, but in the case
cl publications chi-square value was significant at fiver percent.
Hence
educated
the
women
study
had
leads
more
to
the
conclusion
participation
in
that
the
highly
decision-making
for
publications.
In
the
case
of
clothes
all
the
samples
Income
345
a
Food
57.25,
80.77
and
86.16
per
cent
of
the
sample
had
income.
b
Clothes
While taking decisions for the purchase of clothes
78.26,
second
Household durables
While
taking
decisions
for
the
purchase
of
household
durables 55.80, 76.92 and 90.00 per cent of women belonging to the
first,
second
and
third
categories
of
income
respectively
had
participation.
d Ornaments
While taking decisions for the purchase of ornaments 81.16,
86.54 and 93.08 per cent of women belonging to the first,
second
Building materials
31.8 S,
first,
second
participation
materials.
and
in
third
categories
decision
making
of
for
income
the
respectively
purchase
of
had
building
346
f
Publications
While
taking
decisions
for
the
purchase
of
pUblications
of participation of women
lesser.
The
participation
increased
in
case
of
women
' .. '~
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
Level of Income
--------------------------------------- ChiUpto
Between
Above
square
15000
15000 and
30000
30000
30
108
61
77
26
112
Non-participation
Participation
Non-participation
Participation
Non-participation
Participation
Non-participation
Participation
Non-participation
Participation
Clothes
Household
Durables
Ornaments
Building
Materials
Publications
102
36
94
44
59
79
Non-participation
Participation
Food
73.91
26.09
68.12
31.88
18.84
81.16
44.20
55.80
21.74
78.26
42.75
57.25
23.08
76.92
12
40
21
31
40.38
59.62
53
57.69
42.31
30
22
53
77
77
9
121
45
13.46
86.54
13
117
14
116
18
112
44
15.38
84.62
19.23
80.77
10
42
40.77
59.23
40.77
59.23
6.92
93.08
10.00
90.00
10.77
89.23
13.85
86.15
**
92.569
**
100.527
**
298.047
**
148.684
**
227.850
**
143.9601
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type of
Goods
Participation/
Non-participation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
Table 8.27
347
348
The chi-square values for all categories of goods showed (
statistically
significant
result
at
one
per
cent
leve:
substantiating the fact that women with higher level of income ha<
more participation in decision-making.
8.5.1.4
a
On Urban-rural basis
Food
75.00 and 69.00 per cent of the urban and rural women hac
respectively
participated
in
decision-making
regarding
clothes.
C
Household durables
62.72 per cent of the urban and 44.00 per cent of the rural
women
respectively
participated
in
decision-making
regarding
household durables.
d
Ornaments
83.18 per cent of the urban and 85.00 per cent of the rural
women
respectively
participated
purchase of ornaments.
in
decision-making
for
the
349
e
Building materials
24.55 per cent of the urban and 39.00 per cent of the rura:
women
for
th(
Publications
Only 36.36 per cent of the urban and 42.00 per cent of th
rural women respectively participated in decision-making for th
purchase of publications.
Table 8.28 revealed that the percentage of participation
urban and rural women was more in the case of food,
ornaments.
clothes an
women
durables
had
also
publications.
less
in
participation
addition
to
the
in
the
case
building
of
househol
materials
an
350
'rabIc 8.28
Participation of women in decision-making on urban-rural basis
C;oods
ParticipClt i on/
Non-pa rticipil Li Oil
IIrhiln
No.
Food
Non-participation
Participation
Clothes
Non-participation
Participation
Household
Durables
Non-participation
Participation
Rllr"l
Ch i-
--------------------------SLJUil re
Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
55
25.00
31
31.00
165
75.00
69
69.00
33
15.00
18
18.00
187
85.00
82
82.00
82
37.27
56
56.00
138
62.72
44
44.00
1. 2589
0.4616
**
10.0404
-----------------------------------------------------------------"
Ornaments
Non-participants
37
16.82
15
15.00
183
83.18
85
85.00
Non-participation 166
75.45
61
61.00
54
24.55
39
39.00
Non-participation 140
63.64
58
58.00
Participation
36.36
42
42.00
Participants
Building
materials
Participation
Publications
80
0.1669
**
6.9648
0.9255
351
J_S
found
that
difference
1n
the
urban
deciding
and
about
rural
and
women
household
building
showed
durables
materials
substantial
and
building
materials only.
8.5.1.5
Marital Status
Food
66.29
73.58
per
cent
of
the
Clothes
In decision-making for clothes 54.31 per cent of the married
43.40
per
cent
for
of
the
household
Juravlcs.
d Ornaments
68.54
81.13
per
cent
of
the
352
Building materials
70.79
per cent of
50.94
per
cent
of
the
of building materials.
f
Publications
47.94
per cent of
the married
and
49.06
per
cent
of
the
353
Table 8.29
Participation of women in decision-making on marital status
Goods
Married
Single
Participation/
Non-participation No.
Per
No. Per
cent
cent
Food
Non-participation
90
33.71
14
26.42
177
66.29
39
73.58
Non-participation 122
45.69
20
37.74
145
54.31
33
62.26
Non-participation 115
43.07
30
56.60
152
56.93
23
43.40
84
31.46
10
18.37
183
68.54
43
81.13
78
29.21
26
49.06
189
70.79
27
50.94
Non-participation 139
52.06
27
50.94
Participation
47.94
26
49.06
Participation
Clothes
Participation
Household
durables
Non-participation
Participation
Building
materials
Non-participation
Participation
Publications
1.0715
1.1336
,..
Participation
Ornaments
Chisquare
128
3.2662
3.3782
**
7.9326
0.02206
354
Table
ornaments
8.29
revealed
that
in
the
case
of
food,
clothes,
making rated more for both the married and single women.
In the
8.5.1.6
Type of family
Women
in
decision-making
nuclear
than
the
families
women
had
in
greater
joint
participation
families.
The
in
study
355
Table 8.30
Participation of women in decision-making on the basis of
type of family-in nuclear/joint families
Goods
Food
Non-participation 107
42.8
40
57.14
143
57.2
30
42.86
85
34.00
50
71.42
165
66.00
20
28.57
Non-participation 108
43.2
44
62.86
142
56.8
26
37.14
94
37.6
60
85.71
156
62.4
1014.29
Non-participation 113
45.2
67
81.43
Participation
137
54.8
13
IF'L 57
Non-participation 112
44.8
54
77.14
138
55.2
16
22.86
Participation
Clothes
Non-participation
Participation
Household
durables
Participation
Ornaments
Non-participation
Participation
Building
materials
Publications
Participation
4.5335
**
31.4360
**
8.6538
**
51.8404
**
28.8403
**
22.9327
356
a Food
In decision-making for the purchase of food items 57.2 per
cent of the women belonging to nuclear families and only 42.86 per
cent of the women in joint families had participation.
b
Clothes
66.00 per cent of women in nuclear families and 28.57 per
~nt
respectively
participated
in decision-making
for
While
participated
families
62.4
in
per
cent
of
decision-making,
participated
in
the
women
only
in
14.29
decision-making
for
nuclear
per
cent
the
families
in
joint
purchase
of
ornaments.
...
e Building materials
54.8 per cent of the women in nuclear families and 18.57 per
cent in
joint families
participated
in decision-making
for
the
357
Publications
While 55.2 per cent of the women from nuclear families had
participation,
families
only
22.86
participated
in
per
cent
of
the
decision-making
for
women
the
from
joint
purchase
of
publications.
Table 8.30 revealed that in the case of all categories of
goods the women from nuclear families had greater participation in
decision-making than those in joint families.
The chi-square value was found to be significant in all the
cases.
participation
in
decision-making
for
purchases
than
their
Purchase participation
Even though shopping is a matter of convenience now-a-days
the protection of
their
Employment
Clothes
91.94
.J.
the
358
c
Household durables
66.94 per cent of the employed and 50.51 per cent of the
Building materials
36.29 per cent of the employed and 24.49 per cent of the
@employed
women
participated
in
the
purchase
of
building
materials.
f
Publications
While 50.00 per cent of the employed women participated in
the
purchase
unemployed
of
publications,
only
30.61
per
cent
of
the
359
Table 8.31
Participation of women in shopping for the purchase of goods
on the basis of employment
"f"
---------------------------------------------------~--------------
Type of
family
Employed
Unemployed
Non-participation/------------------------Participation
No.
Per
No. Per
Chisquare
cent
cent
Food
Non-participation
Participation
Clothes
Non-participation
Participation
Household
durables
Ornaments
Publications
114
10
114
8.06
66
33.67
91. 94 130
66.33
8.06
41
20.92
91.94 155
79.08
Non-participation
40
33.06
97
49.49
Participation
84
66.94
99
50.51
Non-participation
12
9.68
40
20.41
112
90.32 156
79.59
Non-participation
79
63.71 148
75.51
Participation
45
36.29
48
24.49
Non-participation
62
50.00 136
69.39
Participation
62
50.00
30.61
Participation
Building
Materials
10
60
**
9.8163
**
9.3663
**
9.1443
6.4260
5.1300
**
12.1019
360
Table 8.31 showed that in all
types of
In the purchase of
goods,
clothes,
household
status entrusts a
greater role
Education
a Food
56.76 and 74.42 per cent of the educated and highly educated
and highly
educated
women
had
participation
in
purchasing
food
items.
b Clothes
70.95
per cent of
the
c Household durables
47.97 per cent of the educated and
highly
educated
~usehold
women
had
participation
63.95
in
per
the
cent of
purchase
the
of
durables.
d Ornaments
While purchasing ornaments,
361
Table 8.32
Participation of women in the purchase of goods on the basis
of education
Types of
goods
Food
Non-participation
64
43.24
44
25.58
Participation
84
56.76 128
74.42
Non-participation
43
29.05
31
18.02
70.95 141
81. 98
Clothes
Participation
Household
Durables
Ornaments
Non-participation
77
52.03
62
36.05
Participation
71
47.97 110
63.95
Non-participation
33
22.30
19
11.05
115
77.70 153
88.95
Non-participation 121
81.76 122
70.93
Participation
Building
Materials
105
Participation
27
18.24
50
29.07
Non-participation
99
66.89
91
52.91
Participation
49
33.11
81
47.09
**
11.0975
5.4495
**
8.2681
**
7.3984
5.1027
Publi-
cations
6.4497
362
e Building materials
18.24
highly
per
cent of
educated
women
participated
in
purchasing
building
materials.
f
Publications
33.11 per cent and 47.09 per cent of the educated and highly
women
educated
respectively
participated
in
purchasing
publications.
The
clothes,
results
shmved
that
at
the
time
highly
educated
whereas
in
the
classes
case of
of
women
had
of
purchasing
both the
greater
building materials
and
food,
educated and
participation,
pUblications
the
Income
Women
varied
have
participation
considerably
table 8.33.
at
in
different
the
purchase
levels
of
of
income
goods
as
which
shown
in
8_33
No. Per
cent
No.
Per
cent
11 21.15
41 78.85
10 19.23
42 80.77
49 35.51
89 64.49
32 23.19
106 76.81
Non-participation
Participation
Non-participation
113
17
86.92
13.08
**
166.155
Participation
121
93.08
6.92
**
116.255
23 44.23
29 55.77
16 30.77
36 69.23
43 86.69
9 17.31
27 51.92
25 48.08
33 60.14
55 39.86
70 50.72
68 49.28
119 86.23
19 13.77
94 68.11
44 31.88
Non-participation
Participation
Non-participation
Participation
Participation
Non-participation
Participation
90
40
69.23
30.77
**
102.649
100
30
76.92
23.08
**
118.337
Non-participation
44
86
33.85
66.15
**
209.256
75
55
57.69
42.31
**
153.327
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Publications
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Building
Materials
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ornaments
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Household
Durables
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Clothes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Food
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. Per
cent
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Types of
goods
Participation/
Levels of income
Non-participation ------------------------------------------------Up to
Between Rs.
Above
Chi-square
Rs.15000
15000 &
Rs. 30000
30000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ta.b1.E!!
364
a Food
64.49, 78.85 and 86.92 per cent of women had participation
belonging
to
the
first,
second
and
third
income
groups
respecti vely
b Clothes
When purchasing clothes 76.81, 80.77
and 93.08
per cent of
second
and
third
categories
of
income
respectively
had
second and
cent
of
women
belonging
to
the
first,
second
and
third
365
f
Publications
In purchasing publications 31.88,
was
participation
found
in
the
that
in
purchase
all
the
increased
categories
with
the
of
goods
increase
in
income.
As the family income increases,
chi-square
values
are
found
to
be
statistically
the higher the level of income the more the participation of women
in purchasing goods.
8.5.2.4
a Food
While purchasing food items 70.00 per cent of the urban and
c Household durables
64.09 per cent of the urban and 40.00 per cent of the rural
women had participation in purchasing household durables.
366
d
Ornaments
cent
of
cent
the
urban
and
85
per
the
rural
women
had
participation.
e Building materials
Publications
In purchasing publications 40.00 per cent of the urban and
367
Table 8.34
Participation of women in the purchase of goods on
urban-rural basis
Type of
goods
Urban
Rural
Participation/
------------------------Non-participation No.
Per
No. Per
chicent
cent
square
Foods.
Non-participation
66
30.00
42
42.00
154
70.00
58
58.00
43
19.55
31
31.00
177
80.45
69
69.00
79
35.91
60
60.00
141
64.09
40
40.00
75
34.09
25
25.00
145
65.91
75
75.00
Non-participation 165
75.00
78
78.00
55
25.00
22
22.00
Non-participation 132
60.00
58
58.00
88
40.00
42
42.00
Participation
Clothes
Non-participation
Participation
Household
durables
Non-participation
Participation
Ornaments
Non-participation
Participation
Building
materials
Participation
Publications
Participation
4.426
4.874
**
16.233
2.643
0.3384
0.1139
368
building
materials
and
publications
In the case of
the
role
of
the
Marital status
8.35 as follows:
a Food
74.91
per
cent of
84.91
per
cent
of
the
family.
b Clothes
74.91
per
cent of
56.60
per
cent
of
the
c Household durables
59.93
per
cent
of
the
married and
82.40 per cent and 45.28 per cent of the married and single
wmen respectively had participation in the purchase of ornaments.
369
Table 8.35
Participation of women in purchasing goods on the
basis of marital status
-----------------------------------------------------------------Participation/
____ ~~EE!~9 ___ !~g!~ ____ _
Goods
Food
Non-participation No.
Per
cent
Non-participation
67
25.09
15.09
200
74.91
45
84.91
67
25.09
23
43.40
200
74.91
30
56.60
Non-participation 107
40.07
34
64.15
160
59.93
19
35.85
47
17.60
29
54.72
220
82.40
24
45.28
Non-participation 158
59.18
23
43.40
109
40.82
30
56.60
Participation
Clothes
Non-participation
Participation
Household
durables
Participation
Ornaments
Non-participation
Participation
Building
materials
Participation
Publications
Non-participation 127
Participation
140
No.
Per
cent
47.57 24
45.28
52.43
54.72
29
Chisquare
2.4626
7.3238
**
10.3939
**
33.6166
4.4791
0.0924
370
e Building materials
40.82 per cent and 56.60 per cent of the married and single
women respectively had participation in the purchase of building
materials.
f Publications
52.43
per
cent
of
the
married
and
the
clothes and
~blications
both
~rticipation
the
married
and
the
single
women
had
more
of
The
household durables
substantiating
~articipation
:'5.2.6
clothes I
the
fact
that
these
goods
their
was varying.
Type of family
role
in
to nuclear and
371
Table 8.36
Participation of women in purchasing on the basis of
type of family
Goods
Food
Participation/
Non-participation No.
12.86
184
73.60
61
87.14
75
30.00
55
79.97
175
70.00
15
21.93
Non-participation 109
43.60
50
71.43
141
56.40
20
28.57
64
25.60
40
57.14
186
74.40
30
42.86
Non-participation 103
41.20
48
68.57
147
58.80
22
31.43
50
20.00
50
71.43
200
80.00
20
28.57
Non-participation
Participation
Ornaments
Non-participation
Participation
Building
Materials
Participation
Publications
Per
cent
26.40
Participation
Household
durables
No.
66
Non-participation
Participation
Clothes
Per
cent
Non-participation
Participation
Chisquare
5.5879
**
53.4708
5.1317
**
24.7952
**
16.4355
**
108.40
372
a Food
73.60 per cent and 87.14 per cent of women from nuclear and
joint families respectively participated in the Pllrchase of food
items.
b Clothes
While
70.00
~rticipated,
per
cent
of
women
from
nuclear
families
c Household durables
56.40 per cent and 28.57 per cent of women from nuclear and
j~nt
d Ornaments
74.40 per cent of the women from nuclear families and 42.86
per
cent
of
the
women
from
joint
families
participated
in
purchasing ornaments.
e Building materials
While
?urchased
58.80
building
per
cent
materials,
of
women
only
31.43
from
per
nuclear
cent
families
from
joint
373
f
Publ.1cations
80.00 per cent of women from nuclear families and 28.57 pe]
cent
of
women
from
joint
families
participated
in
purchasin~
publications.
Table 8.36 revealed that in all types of goods except fooe
items
women
in
nuclear
families
had
more
participation
in. thE
higher
income
and
those
in
nuclear
families
have
more
goods
also
employment,
higher
income
and
highlighted
the
The
lady
members
of
the
District
Fora
problems faced by women not only in the District Fora, but in the
society as well.
374
ac~ording
respondents.
opportunities should be given to women to understand their
rights and to protect them.
Meetings
and
they
should
education
organisations and
organisations
prepared
to assist
women, suggested
Consumer
be
schools,
colleges,
women's
Moreover,
women's
should
take
by
up
media,
cases
affecting
the
interests
of
report these
decisions through media for giving courage to other women who are
reluctant to approach the District Fora.
Lack of education, family responsibilities, attitude of the
society and the lack of involvement of the women's organisations
~
8.6
urban areas.
375
Age
The age
~e
composition of
of
lroup of 20-30, 16 per cent belonged to the age group of 30-40 and
i8 per cent belonged to the age group of 40 and above and of the
cent in the age group of 30-40 and 28 per cent in the age
Of the total 100 samples 32 per cent, 46 per cent and 22 per
:ent were
in
the
age
groups
of
20-30,
30-40
and
40
and
above
:especti vely
It was revealed that majority of the complainants were in
~age
:'6.2
group of 30 to 40.
Education
had
S.S.L.C,
~lifications
P.D.C,
30.00,
Degree/Diploma
respectively.
Of
the
44.00
and
and
10.00
per
P.G/Professional
Ernakulam
sample
24.00,
:4.00, 40.00 and 12.00 per cent had S.S.L.C, P.D.C, Degree/Diploma
~P.G/Professional
Of
the
total
qualifications respectively.
20.00,
27.00,
42.00
and
11.00
per
cent
had
:especti vely
376
Table 8.37
Distribution of Complainants by education
Level of education
1 S.S.L.C
2 P.D.C
Degr~e/Diploma
4 P.G/Professional
Total
Thrissur
No. Per cent
Ernakulam
No. Per cent
Total
No. Per cent
16.00
12
24.00
20
20.00
15
30.00
12
24.00
27
27.00
22
44.00
20
40.00
42
42.00
10.00
12.00
11
11.00
50
100.00
50.
100.00 100
100.00
Those who are more educated take courage to complain in the Fora
u revealed by table 8.37.
8.6 3
Employment
Table 8.38
Distribution of complainants on the basis of employment
Thrissur
No. Per cent
Ernakulam
No. Per cent
No.
13
26.00
12
24.00
25
25.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
Unemployed
34
68.00
35
70.00
69
69.00
Total
50
Employment
Employment in the
Service Sector
Professionals
Total
Per cent
-----------------------------------------------------------------100.00
50
100.00
100
100.00
377
revealed in the table 8.38, 68 and 69 per cent of the Thrissur
As
l.6.4
Marital Status
Table 8.39
Distribution of the complainants by marital status
Marital Status
Thrissur
No. Per cent
Ernakulam
No. Per cent
Total
No. Per cent
Married
46
92.00
32
64.00
78
78.00
8.00
18
36.00
22
22.00
50
100.00
50
100.00
100
100.00
Single
Total
~hle
revealed
:.6.5
Type of Family
8.39
jarried.
that
majority
of
the
complainants
were
Table 8.40
Distribution of the complainants by family
Type of family
Thrissur
No. Per cent
Ernakulam
No. Per cent
Total
No. Per cent
Nuclear
47
94.00
38
76.00
85
85.00
Joint
6.00
12
24.00
15
15.00
Total
50
100.00
50
100.00
100
100.00
378
Table 8.40 revealed that a great majority of complainants belonged
to nuclear families.
8.6.6
Level of Income
Table 8.41
Distribution of complainants by level of income
------------------,.----------------------------------------------Thrissur
No. Per cent
Ernakulam
No. Per cent
Total
No. Per cent
Upto 15,000
28
56.00
26
52.00
54
54.00
15,000 - 30,000
12
24.00
10
20.00
22
22.00
30,000 - 45,000
6.00
16.00
11
11.00
45,000 - 60,000
10.00
12.00
11
11.00
4.00
2.00
50
100.00
100
100.00
Level of income
Rs
60,000 - 75,000
Above 75,000
Total
Table 8.41
complainants
revealed
that
from Thrissur
96
per
and
50
cent
100.00
and
100
per
Ernakulam districts
cent
of
the
respectively
Higher income
379
Reasons motivated for complaining in the Fora
The reasons for complaining in the Fora were as
shown in table
8.42.
Table 8.42
Reasons for complaining in the Fora
Thrissur
No. Per Rank
cent
Ernakulam
No. Per Rank
cent
Total
No. Per
cent
20
40.00
28
56.00 1
48
48.00
to a greater extent
than men
16
32.00
16.00 3
24
24.00
c Could complain as a
group
16.00
11
22.00 2
19
19.00
8.00
6.00 4
7.00
4.00
2.00
100
100.00
for
filing
Reasons
d Wanted to assert
consumer rights
e Menfolks had no time
.----------------------------------------------------------------50 100.00
Total
50
100.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------R
The most
important
reason
= 0.35
df
= 3
according
to
the amount of
48
per
loss,
cent
second
and
important
women
complained as a group.
Ranks were allotted to the reasons as shown in table 8.42,
for the purpose of calculating rank correlation R, which was found
to be 0.35.
380
The
signif icant
value
2.776
was
proving
that
the
found
to
be
difference
statistically
in
reasoning
nonwas
insignificant.
Table 8.43
Difficulties faced by women during redressal proceedings with
the ranks allotted
Thrissur
Ernakulam
Reasons
No. Per cent
32
64.00
34
68.00
31
62.00
32
64.00
advocates
16
32.00
24
48.00
Not located in a
convenient place
10
20.00
12
24.00
16.00
16.00
c Harassment of the
381
Appointment of Lawyers
filing
and
table 8.44.
Table 8.44
Details of Outside Help received by complainants for
fighting their cases
Thrissur
Ernakulam
Total
No.Percent
Lawyers
30
60.00
35
70.00
65
65.00
VCOs
13
26.00
10
20.00
23
23.00
14.00
10.00
12
12.00
Particulars
Complainants themselves
.----------------------------------------------------------------50
Total
100.00
50
100.00 100
100.00
Table 8.44 showed that 60 per cent and 70 per cent of women
from
Thrissur
and
Ernakulam
districts
engaged
lawyers
for
representing them in the Fora, while only 26.00 per cent and 20.00
per cent
women
~rcentage
received
(14 and
10
the
per
help
cent
of VCOs.
from
Only
Thrissur
and
very
small
Ernakulam)
382
Disposal of Complaints
a Adjournments by the
lawyers
Thrissur
Ernakulam
Total
No.Per~cent
39
78.00
43
86.00
82
82.00
14.00
4.00
9.00
2.00
4.00
3.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
50
100.00
50
100.00 100
100.00
b Adjournments by the
Fora
c Delay in getting laboratory reports
d Delay in acknowledging
registered notices
Total
sample
the
reason
for
the
delay
in
disposal
of
per
cent
and
respecti vely
50
were
per
not
cent
of
Thrissur
satisfied "vi th
the
and
Ernakulam
order of
the
Yet only 4 per cent and 10 per cent had appealed to the
State Commission.
383
The reasons for not appealing are shown in table 8.46 in the
order of preference.
Table 8.46
Reasons for not appealing to the State Commission
Thrissur
Ernakulam
No.Per cent
Total
Reasons
33
66.00
36
72.00
69
69.5
12
24.00
16.00
20
20.00
10.00
12.00
11
11.5
c No hope of succeeding
66
and
72
per
cent of
time and money and 10 and 13 per cent had no hope of succeeding
their cases at the State Commission.
Majori ty of women lose confidence and hope at the initial
state itself which pointed out the need for instilling confidence
in women.
384
Consumer education as felt by CDRA members
The respondents unanimously agreed that consumer education
is the need of the day in order to equip the consumers with the
by
the
respondents
(in
the
order of preference)
for
found
was
.
' f 'lcan t
Slgnl
x2
(83.21,
the respondents
This
education
research
led
as
studies
to
df
be
0.8321
20)
which
the degree of
was
very
high.
in the suggestions.
to
a
co-efficient of concordance,
the
part
are
of
conclusion
that
curriculum,
essential
for
mass
media,
involvement
creating
of
consumer
consumer
VCOs
and
awareness
among people.
For
Therefore
effective
education,
research works
~iversities
in
the
research
field
work
should
is
be
inevitable.
encouraged
in
Chapter 9
VCOs
in Kerala
(table 9.1)
18)
published
Affairs
and
rectory of VCOs,
by
the
Public
1993,
Ministry
Distribution,
published by CERC,
of
Civil
New
Supplies,
Delhi
Ahmedabad
and
the
(enlisting
), of which five were not existing at the time of the survey and
eof these existing VCOs was continuing its complaint-handling
tivities only.
Questionnaires
dressed
stamped
were
sent
envelopes
to
and
all
the
received
49
VCOs
back
only
with
21
self-
pledging
1 Structure
1.1
Number of VCOs
well
:luded
aware
as
lS calls
of
they
for
the
had
the
.delines in Kerala.
existence
neither
need
for
of
other VCOs,
registration
a
nor
co-ordinating
they
proper
were
not
address.
set-up with
clear
386
Table 9.1
District-wise Distribution of VCOs
No. of VCOs
District
as per records
existing now
Kasargode
Kannur
Wynad
Kozhikode
Ma1appuram
Plakkad
Thrissur
17
12
Idukki
Alappuzha
Kottayam
Pathanamthi tta
Kollam
11
11
54
49
Ernaku1am
Thiruvananthapuram
Total
1.1.2
Nature of Registration
Of
~cieties
the
21
VCOs
responded
were
registered
under
the
387
Wo under the Trust Act respectively.
Year of Establishment
Studies on the year of establishment revealed the increase
in number.
~~e
first
the
registered
before
one
1986
was
registered
(table
9.2).
in
1977,
11
more
Subsequently,
after
year
study,
registration
was
taken
as
the
were
the
For the
year
of
establishment.
Table 9.2
Distribution of VCOs by the period of Establishment
Period
No. of VCOs
Till 1976
Nil
1977 - 1986
12
1987 - 1993
Total
21
The study throws light to the apathy and complacence on the part
of the consumers to set up consumer organisations in spite of the
VCOs
started
functioning
after
the
registration,
13 of them
registered and
388
~ally
::tivists were in a
~ding
ied up.
Affiliation
:.1.4
Majority
:;encies ~
The
of
the
main
VCOs
were
affiliated
organisations
to
which
to
one
these
or
more
VCOs
were
tfiliated were CERC, Ahmedabad, CICO New Delhi, CGSI Bombay and
:le Kerala State Consumer Co-ordination Committee,
Cochin.
Five
~s
i.1.5
Governing Body
BJonty
I
of
~luntary
I
flVlsts
14
VCOs
were
activists,
and
two
had
while
running
two
full-time
\vith
the
dedicated
A great
work
of
had
full-time
employees
and
paid
employees
to
the
manage
Three had
~tters
389
U.6
Membership
The criteria for enrolling a member was subjected to Kendall
:o-efficient of
rl~larity.
Concordance
to
find
out
whether
there
was
any
:ollowing order:
Interest of the person concerned in the movement
Affordability to pay the membership fees
Anyone who seeks
the
chi-square
value
34.62
redressing
his/her
grievances.
and
the help of
proved
statistically
in this regard.
3rticular area.
organisations
!~nisations
with
less
than
50
interests and
units
and
11 medium
three
large
~~
390
)f women (comprising more than 50 per cent of the Kerali tes) in the
l.2
l.2.1
body.
In
11 out of
10 VCOs did
vomen and
not desire
female
representation
in
the
nanagement.
cent seats and in six VCOs one to 10 per cent seats were
reserved
!~rved
for
women.
Table
9.3
shows
the
percentage
of
seats
No. of VCOs
No.
Per cent
10
6
47.62
28.57
4.76
21 to 30
31 to 40
9.52
41 to 50
9.52
21
99.99
Zero
1 to 10
11 to 20
Total
391
The study revealed that 41.62 per cent of VCOs did not have
:emale participation in the governing body.
The reasons
Inefficiency
Inefficiency
:he VCOs
for
The
was
found
not reserving
Kendall
to
seats
Co-efficient
be
the
in
the
of
least
ranked
governing
by
all
body.
0.828
Concordance,
66.24
The
:ankings.
All
the
?articipation
?romising
~sons
and
VCOs
and
the
revealed
unanimously
involvement
women's
as
per
in
units
the
agreed
the
were
that
movement
rarely
responses
were
the
not
very
functional.
The
in
?reference of
1
was
women's
the
order
of
392
3
Lack of willingness.
The Kendall
high degree
of
Co-efficient of
Concordance W
0.796
showed
x2
value,
The
respondents.
The
reasons
stated
by
women
for
not
involving
in
the
9.3
The
VCOs
in
Kerala
handling,
complaint
campaigning,
training
are
consumer
and
engaged
in
activities
education,
research
as
consumer
shown
in
table
Histograms 9.1.
Table 9.4
Activities of the VCOs
VCOs
Activities
No.
Per cent
Complaint handling
21
100
Consumer education
19
90.48
Consumer advocacy
13
61.90
Campaigning
12
57.14
Training
10
47.62
Research
19.05
such
as
advocacy,
9.4
and
393
Histogram 9.1
Activity pattern of VCOS
100
.I
,a
,
C
""I
90
80
70
60
5 7.1~;'-
50
Q 40
> 30
0
0
20
10
0
A
Activity
l. Complaint handling
B. Consumer education
C. Consumer advocacy
D . Campaigning
E. Training
F . Research
394
U.l
Complaint-handling
compromised by the VCOs during 1991, 1992 and 1993 are shown in
table 9.5.
Table 9.5 revealed that 70.32, 69.09 and 82.65 per cent of
ilie total
complaints
filed
in
the
years
1991,
1992
and
1993
The
remaining
Hence the
respecti vely
~Os
were
compromised
by
the
VCOs.
of complaints informally.
Table 9.5
Details of the number of complaints received and settled by
the VCOs
--------------------------------------------------------------~--
1991
No. of complaints
No.
Per cent
1992
1993
No.
Per cent
No.
Per cent
Received
822
100.00
1268
100.00
2625
100.00
settled
578
70.32
874
69.09
2087
82.65
395
9.3.2
Consumer Education
With a view to educate consumers, VCOs conducted seminars/
~rkshops,
a Seminars/workshops,
organised
by
all
leadership camps,
VCOs
aiming
at
increasing
awareness
were
among
consumers.
b Print Media was most
c Library
was
used
as
source
of
consumer
education
by
16 VCOs.
Nine of the VCOs in Kerala conducted audio-visual programmes
fur educating consumers.
9.3.3
Consumer advocacy
396
Consumer campaigning/lobbying
U.4
Training courses
9.3.5
providers
ten
successful
VCOs
were
courses
for
the
conducting
such
for
in
conducting
consumers
courses,
and
training
the
according
to
or
activists.
the VCOs,
the respondents.
The
5.76
chi-square
insignificant.
was
Hence there is no
found
to
be
statistically
Research
since
labour VCOs
oonsumers.
research
were
work
involves
not able to do
great
such works
deal
for
of
money
and
the welfare of
397
research
works
on
topics
like
consumer
awareness,
consumer
problems etc.
The major constraints on VCOs with regard to research in the
order of preference ranking were
1
Lack of funds
Lack of time
Lack of interest.
the
agreement
lack
of
among
time,
the
experts
VCOs.
etc.
Hence
need
the
be
financial
eliminated
for
VCO
had
full-fledged
laboratory
for
comparative
testing.
The major constraints for setting-up a
laboratory,
in the
Lack of fund
Using
Kendall
agreement among
Co-efficient
the different
of
sets
concordance,
of
ranking
the
was
degree of
0.56,
which
398
It
:eminar
is
noteworthy
in
this
context
(199J)
on Consumer Protection
that
in
the
stressed
same seminar,
~~
participation.
women's
National
Dandvate
lady
members
of
the
Fora
:ervices .
though
the
COPRA
guarantees
cheap,
inexpensive
large sums for processes and filing of disputes and also for
~vocacy
~are
availed.
~&nately
India.
None
of
the VCOs
in
Kerala
received
any
fund
from
~ia of Bombay etc . which are not made use of by VCOs in Kerala.
399
Source of Income
The main source of income was found to be membership fees,
donations
from
~"rtisement
interest
sale
groups,
of
pUblications
and
Table 9.6 and Histogram 9.2 revealed that the main source of
Iincome
of
\re~ived
all
the VCOs
donations
also,
forming
major
portion
of
income.
Sale of
publications
and
advertisements
was
another
source
of
income to 33.33 per cent and another 33.33 per cent received service
'charges and 14.29 per cent of VCOs received income from public
No VCO
trusts.
in
Kerala
received
funds
from
foreign
funding
agencies.
Table 9.6
Source of Income of the VCOs
Source of Income
----------ygQ---------No.
Per cent
Membership fees
21
100.00
18
85.71
Sale of publications
and advertisements
33.33
Service charges
33.33
Public Trusts
14.29
vice charges.
400
only a
hand to mouth
while
ween Rs.10,000/-
4.76
per
cent
budget
boasted
to
Table 9.7
Annual Expenditure Budget of VCOs
VCOs
Annual Budget
( Rs )
No.
Upto 10,000
Per cent
14
66.67
10,001 - 30,000
28.57
Above 30,000
4.76
21
100.00
Total
except
for
few
exceptions
majority
had
But,
nil
40 1
100
90
80
1 00
70
80
60
OIl
90
20
10
0
B
Source 01 Income 01
vea.
,
&.
70
60
60
OIl
30
,&20
I.
10
o
10001 90,000
Uplo
10,000
A. Membership tee.
O. S..vt~ oharg.s
E. Public trusts
Above
90,000
402
Lack of a co-ordinating body, financial
and
dedicated
activists
are restraining
the
resources,
willing
voluntary
consumer
movement in Kerala.
Relation between Activities and Budget
The relation between the functions and
budg~ts
of the VCOs
(Rs)
Complaint Consumer
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
No. Per
cent
42.86 6
Training
Research
10000 - 30000
100
6 100.00
6 100.00 5
Above 30000
100
1 100.00
42.86 3 21.43 0
100
Table 9.8
85.71
No. Per
cent
Advocacy
14
Upto 10,000
12
Campaigning
83.33 6100.0
50
having a budget of
campaigning,
advocacy
and
research,
whereas
all
the
veos belonging to the budget between 10,000 and 30,000 could not
do research and advocacy.
upto
~.lO,OOO
40 )
Budget
Histogram 9 . 4
100_
80
activity Histograms
60
40
2:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~L-____
A
Histgra.m
9. 5
10000 -
100
80
60
40
20
o
.6,
Histogra m 9. 6
100
80
60
40
20
~.
Complain t s
Consumer Educa. t ion
Campaign
o
D . Advocacy
E . Training
F . Research
30000
404
9.4 ,
9 . 5 and
9.6.
Therefore
financial
constraints
limited
the
Analysis of responses
Redress
Districts
and
the
Agencies,
voluntary
women
from
Thrissur
and
consumer organisations
Ernakulam
as
given
in
table 9.9.
Table 9.9
Total respondents from CDRAs, Women and VCOs
No. of questionnaires
Category
Sent
1
C D R
Women
V C Os
As
Total
Received
Perc~ntage
of
replies received
45
21
46.67
320
320
100.00
54
21
38.89
419
362
86.40
Women
were
highly
co-operative
Disappointingly,
in
providing
33 VCOs were
10.1
on
31.10.1992
and
the
number. of
disputes
disposed
of
till
were
grouped
under
non-classified disputes.
regarding
goods were
the
head
'others'
since
about
household durables
they
were
followed
by
food
Disputes relating
it
is
mainly
harvested
by
the
financially
minorities.
'!~
well-to-do
406
10.2
Forum
disposed
of
the
maximum
(253)
number
of
number
pertaining
to
(8
goods
each)
pending
The
maximum
disposal
as
number
on
of
30.4.1993
disputes
was
at
and Kannur
(279)
of disputes
The disputes,
regarding
were
However,
per cent).
Within the stipulated minimum time for disposal,
furum
disposed
of
maximum
number
(203)
of
Kozhikode
'Others 1
(other
(18 each).
at
Ernakulam
and
Others 1
pending disposal
minimum
(30)
at
were
Idukki
maximum
whereas
..
.,.
407
Majority
of
disputes
pertaining
to
goods
(56
per
cent~
'Others' (55 per cent) and services (50 per cent) were disposed of
within 16 months of filing the disputes.
The
disputes
pending
disposal
were
more
in
the
case
of
(4458)
survey.
The disposal rates of disputes varied from Forum to Forum
and from per iod to
there
is
period.
inter-district
Hence,
variation
in
the
first
the
hypothesis
time
taken
that
for
the
Lack of funds.
statistically
significant.
Hence
the
second
408
hypothesis that the speedy redressal of consumer disputes depends
on the staff members, number of complaints, adjournments of cases,
vacancies in the District Fora and financial facilities is proved.
High pendency of disputes in the Fora was the result of
a
(according to 76
per
of members)
large~population
'i'
(10
per cent).
Delay
in
acknowledging
the
registered
notices
by
the
10.4
Execution of Orders
409
10.5
Infrastructural facilities
The
Fora
proper
lacked
filing
system,
safe-keeping
emerging
rates
scenario with
at
the
Fora
is
reference
far
too
to
the
depressing
disposal
and
betraying
the
Disposals are
made
noted
the
were
interests
redressal
the
with
centralisation
agencies
outcome
of
powers
that
of
power.
rights especially in
Th~
toothless.
indifferences
be,
Moreover,
the
execution of orders
such
an
deficiencies
wielded
as
by
vested
corruption
individual's
and
fight
is a
for
fight
in our country.
one's
consumer
rights
are
plenty,
to overcome to
which
calls
for
decentrlisation of power.
Also,
~serably
providing
the
in
Kerala
making
State
the
Fora
necessary facilities
prompt appointment
to
the
Civil
Supplies
Department
satisfactorily
such as
vacancies
of
failed
operational
by
arising
in
the
410
10.6
factors
of
their
consumer
rights
Awareness on the
rights to know and to choose are the most aware rights among women
(mean
0.831
revealed
highly
educated,
the
that
in
consumer
socio-economic
parameters
women who
employed,
nuclear
rights.
are
families,
who
of
in
have
the
sample
urban
areas,
complained
and
status
did
not
make
any
as
values.
who
are
making
proved
statistically
Therefore
employed
is
the
have
proved
significant
fourth
more
hypothesis
significant
correct.
by
In
role
the
types of
Chi-square
that
in
addition,
those
decisionwomen
411
(b)
Employment,
higher
education,
higher
income
and
nuclear
types
food,
of
goods.
Women
have monopoly
over
the
purchase
of
differences.
10.7
10.7.1
revealed
of importance are,
a
412
10.7.3
harassment by advocates
10.7.4
Comparati vely a
smaller percentage
(23)
of women
sought
10.7.6
CDRAs are
a
Lawyers
are
found
responsible
for
the
adjournment
of
10.7.7
..
i'
413
a
Family objections
Lack of interest
education
vlith
economically
to
employment
and
the
family
greater participation
budget
women
which
in decision-making
can
helped
and
contribute
them
acquire
purchases.
Proper
consumer
rights
health.
Those who are
disposal and
those
highly
who
educated
are
with
enough
time
are
taking
initiative
married
the
employed
women,
though
more
of
their
aware of
jobs
outside
their
homes
they
find
no
their
to
complaints.
their
at
consumer
household works
time
to
go
for
who
take
the
plunge
to
complain
in
the
Fora
are
defeats
the
very
purpose
of
the
and
also
by
granting
COPRA,
1986.
The
Fora
permission
to
advocates
for
414
adjourments of hearings.
the advocates
and
and sessions
to
Studies
on
Voluntary
Consumer
Organisations
showed
the
following findings
10.8.1
Society's attitude
Unwillingne~s.
The
10.8.2
six
activities
Complaint handling
Consumer education
Consumer advocacy
Campaigning
Training and
Research.
of
the
VCOs
on
the
basis
of
the
415
Only
10.8.3
research works.
minority
of
VCOs
(19
per
cent)
are
engaged
in
lack of funds
lack of time
lack of personnel
lack of interest.
and
lack of time, lack of personnel and lack of interest are the major
constraints on VCOs in conducting research works.
There is no confederation or co-ordinating body of VCOs in
Kerala which is necessary to co-ordinate the activities and to fix
priority according to the regional requirements.
are seriously facing
financial
Invol vement
of
women
in
the
consumer
protection
act
as
attitude
and
jobs
voluntary
of men,
outside
activists
due
to
the
societal
response,
homes.
fundamental. change
in
the
416
The need of the hour is to bring about attitudinal changes
and sensitisation of society.
change
and
centuries
old
customs
social
taboos.
Education
and
they will
Recommenda tions
.'J;
Lawyers
should
be
banned
from
the
proceedings
in
the
ignorant consumers
3
At
from
the
recording
judicial
and
department
filing.
The
for
staff
be
appointed
facilitating
deputed
proper
from
the
417
4
Fresh
appointment
of
through
P.S.C
or
,.
followed by an intensive training,
Employment Exchange,
the
staff
(in addition to
Amendment
inclusion
members
of
the
clauses
COPRA
and
regarding
giving
interim
eliminating
by
more
order,
powers
execution
exclusionto
of
the
Fora
orders,
infrastructure for
the
smooth running of
the
Fora.
8
Name of
Dispute
Redressal
Court,
be
changed
District
to
Consumer
Consumer
Dispute
To
make
service
accountable
undertakings
compensation should
more
responsible
be made payable by
and
the
Regular consumer
media
like
education
newspapers,
programmes
radio
and
through
the
mass
television
for
418
11
Consumer
education
need
curriculum in schools,
National
Service
be
regular
colleges
Schemes
in
and
subject
of
colleges
can
the
The
collaborate
filed
by women
is
inevitable
since women
are
civilisa-
15
16
should
reserve
50
per
There
should
be
confederation
of
VCOs
in Kerala
to
419
18
opinion
through
workshops/seminars
and
public
meetings.
20
support is
the
should be made
major
handicap
practical
of
the
voluntary
since
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10
ill
12
13