Consumer Welfare Fund
The Consumer Welfare Fund (CWF) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has been created to provide monetary support or financial aid for the purpose of meeting the expenses incurred by a consumer in his pursuit of a consumer cause or matter.
About Consumer Welfare Fund
The Consumer Welfare Fund was set up by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs) for the protection of the interests of consumers in general.
The Fund is an established mechanism to pool consumer education funds issued by each state with a matching contribution from the Central Government, thus enabling each State/UT to draw these funds for meeting their requirements under different Acts/Rules/Regulations.
It was set up under the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017. The consumer welfare fund rules of 1992 have been subsumed under the CGST rules, 2017.
The Fund has been set up by the Department of Revenue (Ministry of Finance) and is being operated by the Department of Consumer Affairs (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution).
Government steps to promote and protect the welfare of the consumers
The Government has taken following other steps to promote and protect the welfare of the consumers by creating awareness and strengthening consumer movements in the country:
- A Pan-India consumer awareness campaign "JagoGrahakJago" through print, electronic, outdoor and social media through various agencies/ organizations/ Ministries like All India Radio, Doordarshan, National Film Development Corporation, Bureau of Outreach & Communication, Department of Posts, etc.
- Participation in various fairs/festivals/events to generate awareness among the consumers living in rural and backward areas of the country.
- Providing grant-in-aid to States/UTs to generate awareness in regional languages.
- Dissemination of consumer awareness messages through social media.
- Celebration of World Consumer Rights Day/National Consumer Day.
- Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Mobile Care App.
- The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CP Act 2019) has been implemented w.e.f. 20th July, 2020.
- Government has set up a National Consumer Helpline (NCH) with toll free number 1800-11-4000 or short code 14404 to handle the consumer grievances.
- Consumer awareness programmes are organized through the network of BIS Offices across the country for promoting the concept of standardization, certification and quality consciousness among consumers as well as manufactures.
