Consumer protection gets stronger in Punjab

Food security secretary says awareness drive now active in every district, promises quick action on complaints

Food security secretary says awareness drive now active in every district, promises quick action on complaints

Dr Kiran Khurshid is the secretary of food safety and consumer protection department in Punjab. In a recent talk, she explained how the province protects buyers from fraud and overcharging.

She said consumer protection in Punjab works under the Punjab Consumer Protection Act of 2005. This law created a full system. It has a provincial directorate. It also has District Consumer Protection Councils. And it has District Consumer Courts. All these bodies work with local administration to protect the rights of buyers.

At the top sits the Directorate of Consumer Protection Council, Punjab, which handles money matters, legal matters, and coordination across the whole province.

Below this sit the District Consumer Protection Councils, known as DCPCs. These councils exist in many districts of Punjab. Each one is headed by the deputy commissioner of that district. Other members include officials from Health, Agriculture, Police, Social Welfare, and the Municipal Committee. A legal assistant director acts as Member and Secretary.

The deputy commissioner has real power here. He can punish small violations right away.

Dr Khurshid said these councils do three main jobs. First, they run awareness campaigns. They use print media, TV, and public seminars to teach people about their rights and product safety. Second, they watch the market. They collect data. They trace faulty or dangerous products. They send reports to the DC or to the consumer courts. Third, they enforce the rules.

If a buyer wants more help, he can go to the district consumer court. This court can order compensation. It can also send a violator to jail for up to two years.

Dr Khurshid then spoke about food safety. She said her department works closely with the Punjab Food Department and the Punjab Food Authority. Together they manage food security across the province.

One big job is wheat management. The department buys, stores, and moves wheat stocks. This keeps flour prices stable. Officials also track the prices of essential food items every day. This helps them spot shortages early.

The Punjab Food Authority checks restaurants and food factories. It looks for adulteration and poor hygiene. It also watches sugar mills and flour mills to stop unfair trade.

For poor families, the government runs Sahulat Bazaars. These are special markets. Here people can buy food items at lower, controlled rates.

Dr Khurshid also spoke about price control working on the ground. Her department used to be called the Price Control and Commodities Management Department. It still does the same core job. It fixes official prices for daily items like flour, sugar, meat, vegetables, and milk.

District price control magistrates carry out checks. They visit shops and markets at all hours. If they catch someone overcharging or hoarding goods, they can hold a summary trial on the spot. They can fine the shopkeeper. They can even detain him.

The department also uses technology. It runs a system based on GIS mapping. It also runs the Qeemat Punjab portal. Here, ordinary citizens can file complaints about prices. Officials use this data to act fast.

Dr Khurshid said this combined system gives quick relief to buyers. She said the awareness campaign is now active across the whole province, reaching even far off villages.