Jago Grahak Jago is the campaign to waken up the consumers on national level to utilize their right to get just deals for the money they pay.  The consumers can lodge a complaint by telephoning the toll free help line 1800-11-4000 on week days from Monday to Saturday during the working hours between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm.  The complaints also can be lodged through the website www.nationalconsumerhelpline.in.

So far 2993 complaints were received in Delhi that stands highest with 23.77% of the total complaints received.  One of the lowest Andhra Pradesh with 1.49%.  Union ministry of Consumer Affairs announced recently that 2474 complaints were resolved with the manufacturing and service giving companies out of 2699 complaints received.   

The helpline covers the following- Airlines, automobiles, banking, domestic appliances, electricity, food safety, insurance, legal metrology, medical negligence, real estate, telecom etc.

The district consumer forum member PVV Murthy is in the opinion that the consumers of the South are hesitant to talk in Hindi or English that is majorly used by the help lines.  That is why only North Indian States recorded majority of the complaints from the consumers.  A consumer activist Pitani Bhaskara Rao of Krishna District expressed his opinion that a center at Hyderabad or Bangalore to cater the South Indian callers may cater the South Indian States well.

The records show that the maximum number of calls received pertains to telecom sector followed by telecom products, e-commerce, weights and measures, banking, education etc.

As the campaign is to protect consumers, an awareness program in the Southern States may be necessary in addition to "Jago Grahak Jago".

AW-SriJa