Month: April 2013

Making the Right to Information a Reality

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More than 90 countries around the world have laws guaranteeing the right to information. But getting an information law on the books is only the beginning. Making sure that public information actually reaches ordinary citizens is a challenge of its own.

In the first three years after India passed its 2005 Right to Information Act, there were over two million requests. Even with a network of information commissioners in place to facilitate applications, the system was facing crushing backlogs. Shailesh Gandhi, a Central Information Commissioner in New Delhi, set out to create a new approach to keep cases moving.

Learn more about Open Society’s work on freedom of information at http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org

How to get a Senior citizen’s card?

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For all those over 60

Benefits of having a senior citizen’s card:

  • Railway concession – 30% (60 years).
  • Maharashtra state transport concession- 50% (65 years).
  • Air travel concession – 50% on basic fare only (65 years).
  • Some private hospitals discount – 30% (60 years).
  • Govt. Hospitals treatment free of cost – (60 years).
  • Banks give extra interest – 1/2% (60 years).
  • Post office investment upto Rs.15 lakh gives higher interest (60 years).
  • High court will give priority in hearing – (65 years).
  • Maharashtra professional tax – 100% exemption (65 years).
  • MTNL – 25% discount on monthly rent – (65 years).
  • Railway have separate queue for senior citizens.
  • Local trains/ best buses have reserved sitting.
  • Income tax relief.
  • Old age home admission free or at nominal cost.

Click Here for details and procedure

100 Subscribers

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Hello Friends,

Today we reach a small milestone – we have more than 100 online subscribers to www.ConsumerResources.in  Moreover, on an average, we get more than 750 hits per day, and growing. Thank you so much for your continuous support and encouragement.

Over the past few months, we have tried to cover a variety of topics which may be of use to the consumer, which are not easily available under one roof. We would love to hear from you about the topics covered, what you like and what you don’t and what more you would like to see on a growing basis.  Please do send in your comments and bouquets and brickbats – All are welcome !

If you like the quality, the topics and the frequency of the posts, please do refer us to  your friends and family. As you are aware, subscriptions are easy and free. Also, if you like a particular post and feel that others should also know about it, you have to option to post the same on Facebook and Twitter.

Best Wishes for the new financial year

Yazdi Tantra

How food manufacturers trick consumers with deceptive ingredients lists

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The myth: Ingredients lists on food products are designed to inform consumers about what’s contained in the product.

The reality: Ingredients lists are used by food manufacturers to deceive consumers and trick them into thinking products are healthier (or better quality) than they really are. This article explores the most common deceptions used by food manufacturers to trick consumers with food ingredients lists. It also contains useful tips for helping consumers read such labels with the proper skepticism.

Some of the most common tricks :

  • distribute sugars among many ingredients
  • pad the list with miniscule amounts of great-sounding ingredients
  • hiding dangerous ingredients
  • manipulating serving sizes

Click Here to Learn more about Tricks of the Food Trade and Tips for reading Food Labels

How to get justice from errant service or goods providers?

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Redressal of consumer complaints can entail approaching the insurance ombudsman, the consumer courts and even taking help of social media, RTI and police complaints. There are options available today to build pressure on errant service or goods providers so that they do the needful

 

A letter from Mohan Siroya, chairperson of the Consumer Complaints Cell, gives three examples of consumer power success using the help of the insurance ombudsman, Right to Information (RTI), social media activism and police complaints. Today, justice will be served if you are persistent in your efforts to pursue the errant service or goods provider. A consumer court may not be able to help in the absence of the postal address, but alternate means exists.

Click Here for more………