What legal measures were taken by the government to empower the consumers in India?
The government took several important legal measures to empower consumers in India.
A major step taken by the Indian government in 1986 was the enactment of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, popularly known as COPRA. This was a landmark legislation that provided a legal system to protect consumers from exploitation in the marketplace.
India observes 24 December as the National Consumers' Day to mark the day when the Indian Parliament enacted this legislation. India is one of the countries that have exclusive authority for consumer redressal, which empowers consumers to seek justice against unfair trade practices.
The consumer movement led to the formation of various organisations, locally known as consumer forums or consumer protection councils. These bodies guide consumers on how to file cases in the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions and represent individual consumers in these commissions.
Additionally, the government provides financial support to these voluntary organisations for creating awareness among people about their rights. This has helped shift the responsibility of ensuring quality of goods and services on the sellers.
Explanation
The answer draws directly from the textbook context which mentions COPRA (1986) as the major legal measure, the establishment of Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions, financial support to consumer forums, and India's exclusive authority for consumer redressal. The UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection (1985) influenced this legislation.