On 29th May 2004 in the premises of Project Swarajya at Ganesh Ghat, Bakharabad, Cuttack the District Consumer Information Centre was formally inaugurated through a meeting held under the joint aegis of District NGO Coordination Committee, Orissa High Court Bar Association and Project Swarajya. Mr. Chitta Ranjan Mohanty, a distinguished public figure of the State presided over the meeting. It was inaugurated by Hon'ble Justice Mr. A.S Naidu, Judge Orissa High Court as the Chief Guest of the occasion. Mr. Mohan Jena, the newly elected MP from Jajpur, Orissa was the special guest of honour, while other eminent personalities like Station Director AIR Cuttack Mr. Baraha Mohanty, Advocate Sri Subash Mohatab, Lecturer Sk. Kalim Ula, District Social Welfare Officer Mrs. Arannapurna Pradhan, Advocate Ashoka Dalai and Secretary Sri Bikash Mohapatra attended and addressed the function as guest speakers.
After the Hon'ble Justice Sri Naidu lighted the ceremonial candle, Advocate Mr. Ashok Dalai welcomed and introduced all guests. Then Mrs. Dolli Dash Secretary of Project Swarajya presented a brief note on the aims and objectives of the newly set up DCIC Cuttack.
Then Mr. Lalit Ku. Mishra, who is the honorary chief coordinator of the DCIC gave his talk elaborating on the main objective of the Centre, that is how to enable the citizens to access information about various Govt. sponsored developmental schemes and the procedures to avail them. He further emphasized the need for the citizens' charters to be publicised by each govt. dept. and agency about their respective facilities and procedures. The citizens' charters, he said, shall ensure transparency and accountability on the part of the govt. and public agencies towards the citizens. Mr. Mishra further stressed the need for coordination & communication between different government and non-government agencies in all matters of development at grass root level.
Advocate Sri Subash Mahatab mainly focussed on the proper implementation of the Consumer Protection Act through a better functioning of the Consumer Courts and also through a greater awareness and vigilance on the part of the consumers themselves.
Then Sri Bikash Mohapatra spoke on the need for the computerization of the necessary information by the DCIC so as to enable every layman to access the desired information quickly and thoroughly.
Lecturer Sk. Kalim Ula said that the DCIC was in deed a historical step to create awareness among the young generation and as well among the people at large.
Mrs. Arrnnapurna Pradhan, the District Social Welfare Officer, Cuttack in her speech said that the DCIC should address to diverse information needs of the society and thereby accelerate the development process at grass root level.
The Station Director of AIR Cuttack Mr. Baraha Mohanty said that if we could properly disseminate the needed information, then it would go a long way in rooting out corruption from public spheres.
The Hon'ble Justice Orissa High Court Mr. A. S. Naidu in his inaugural address said that all of us are in fact consumers of goods and services from Government or private agencies. A consumer under the C.P. Act 1986 is supposed to be one who buys or hires goods and services against a consideration, which has been paid or promised to be paid or partly paid and partly promised or transacted under any system of deferred payment. To illustrate his point he gave some examples out of his experiences. He appealed to the people to avail the provisions of the CP Act through the the various forums created for the purpose. Mr.Naidu concluded by an appeal to all present to cooperate with the newly set up DCIC for strengthening a genuine consumerist culture in the society.
The MP Mr. Mohan Jena in his brief talk observed that a large segment of our population are yet largely ignorant of the provisions of the CP Act and other such welfare legislations and therefore cheated by the unscrupulous businessmen. The proposed DCIC, Mr.Jena hoped, would spread awareness among the poor and ignorant people about the legal remedies available to them.
Mr. Chitta Ranjan Mohanty in his presidential note summed up the deliberations of the meeting and hoped that the DCIC would cater to the aspirations of the people for safeguard of their rights as consumers.
At the end Mr. Sailendu Ghose, Advisor to Project Swarajya offered a vote of thanks to all the guests and participants for the success of the function.
Nearly 200 participants from various walks of life had attended the function.
Reported By
Subrat Ku. Mohanty