Dimapur, Dec. 18 (EMN): Nagaland is a state where sellers do not have qualms about naming exorbitant round figure prices—out of monetary convenience or greed—for products or services. From a packet of local food that cost anywhere from salary-sapping INR 500 to INR 10,000 to calendars that cost INR 200, the state’s lack of pricing mechanisms that can check and regulate prices is eating into the economics of the common man.
Noting the rampant and random pricing culture in the state, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumer Organisation (NVCO) has reminded that prices are stipulated based on value for money, legal and accepted pricing attributes, right quality, right quantity, and right information.
The NVCO launched its week-long observance of National Consumers Day with an inaugural programme on December 18 in Kohima town. It issued a press release to the media on Wednesday informing about the programme and the objectives behind it.
The NVCO stated strong support to the order issued by the deputy commissioner of Dimapur district banning the sale of calendars, raffles, badges, coupons, lotteries, and “donations” etc, in pursuance of a government order.
The organisation stated: ‘For a very long time, the NVCO has been creating consumer awareness on rampant illegal fund-raise.’ It had been ‘making an appeal to the state government and to all the district administrations particularly the deputy commissioner, Kohima, to stop all kinds of fund-raise in the state capital in a form of selling newspaper by way of donation, selling calendars, raffles, badges, coupons, lotteries, donation voucher, vegetable, moudi (a local food), buffet ticket, concert ticket, packing, cooked meat, meat, cleaning vehicle at fuel station, selling tea leaf at an exorbitant price etc.’
The organisation has requested deputy commissioners across the state especially of Kohima to immediately “issue the same” as the state’s capital had become a ‘haven’ for fund raising activities.
The NVCO listed some of the fundraising activities by churches, students’ unions and various other organisations: Lottery tickets ranging from INR 500 to INR 15,000 per ticket; a packet of ‘moudi’ ranging from INR 500 to INR 10,000 or more; building funds, dinner tickets from INR 1,000 up to INR 5,000 and INR 7,000; a basket of vegetables that cost anywhere from INR 1,000 to INR 2,000, a calendar that costs INR 200 or more; a portion of deer meat for donations; three kg of pork at INR 1,000; tea prices that are more than double its actual price, and cooked meat at INR 5,000, among many others.
Further, there are various demands in the name of ‘donations’ for celebration of jubilees, festivals, and conferences mainly asked from legislators and affluent people. Likewise, there are the various ‘donor cards’ that cost abnormal rates, the NVCO stated.
‘It is very unfortunate that we the citizens of Nagaland become very smart and creative in making easy money by various forms of fund-raising and we are to admit that Nagaland is a state of doing all sorts of these various illegalities affecting the prices in the market and our economy. It also amounts to harassment,’ the press release reminded.
In the backdrop of a week-long observation of the National Consumers Day from December 18 to the 24th, the consumer rights group has appealed to all deputy commissioners of the districts to ban such practices and enforced it effectively.
The NVCO stated: ‘Every year 24th December is observed as National Consumers Day and the importance of observing this Day in the country especially Nagaland is beneficial to the citizens as it creates better awareness, which is still lacking in our society especially in rural areas. The Day reminds the citizens to remember their rights and responsibilities as a consumer. The slogan, “An alert consumer is an asset to the nation,” speaks volumes on this occasion.’
The NVCO explained that the moment a person comes into this world, he starts consuming: ‘He needs milk, clothes, oil, soap, water and many more things and these needs keep taking one form or the other all along his life. Thus, we all are consumers.’
Factors of price
When people approach the market as a consumer, they expect value for money that has all the legal and accepted attributes: right quality, right quantity, right prices, information about the mode of use etc.
“But there may be instances where a consumer is harassed or cheated. He may be supplied with goods which do not perform as per their description or have one or more defects. Likewise, in case of services, there may be deficiency,” the NVCO stated.
The organisation has stated that the weeklong observance of the National Consumers Day will be in the forum of conducting consumer awareness campaigns related to defective goods and deficiency of services, and “illegal collection of cash/taxes” at check-gates and along highways. The programmes will be conducted to spread consumer awareness programmes against rampant illegal taxation, food safety, and temporary price rise, among others.
A similar programme will be to highlight the illegal practice of ‘backdoor’ appointments ‘to fight against backdoor appointments and pressurise the various departments under the government of Nagaland to cancel or terminate the employees of backdoor appointment at the earliest.’
During the recent Hornbill Festival at Kisama village in Kohima, the NVCO presented a street play promoting consumer rights and information related to ‘illegal taxation’ and Food Safety, the updates stated.
The NVCO has been conducting a consumer awareness campaigns in the state. For any query, and for consumer guidance, the citizens can call up the Nagaland State Consumer Helpline through the toll free number 1800-345-3701 during work hours, the updates stated.