New Delhi January 13,2014: India’s first community radio based consumer helpline would be launched at Nuh, Mewat, Haryana by Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, Shri Pankaj Agrawalal on January 15, 2014. This helpline would be managed by Mewat based community radio station, “Radio Mewat”.
The consumer helpline on community radio is an innovation to raise awareness amongst consumers in a community. They can call radio’s helpline number and leave a message, talk to a radio reporter or even come on live with their complaint. In Mewat over 5 lakhs people will be able to take advantage of the helpline by calling the number 8685904904. Radio Mewat will document these cases and pass it on to agencies that can sort out these grievances.
The radio will also commit a 30 minute slot to a consumer rights’ program where consumers will have a live show to discuss problems. The major issues such as sale of expired goods particularly medicines, sale of goods without bills, misleading advertisements etc. will be taken up. Awareness about the benefits of bills would go a long in creating a demand for bills and also benefit the State.
