Early death for Information Centres?

MANGALORE: On National Consumer Rights Day, observed on December 24, District Consumer Information Centres (DCIC) in the state are writing their epitaphs. Consumer activists across the state are already attributing the early death of these centres to the state government’s apathy.Under the Consumer Protection Act 1986, the Union government had made it mandatory for state governments to establish DCIC in all districts. Initially it was smooth sailing for DCIC in Bangalore, Dakshina-Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga and Bellary districts which had received a grant of Rs 5 lakh from the Centre.Trouble began when the state government was entrusted with the task of running these centres. “For Mangalore DCIC, it was trouble from the start when it received just Rs 2.5 lakh as grant,” informs M J Salian of Mangalore DCIC. Since then the centre has not received any money from either the district administration or government.Even the state’s oldest DCIC in Udupi is in a similar predicament. DCIC, Udupi set up in 2001 was receiving an annual grant of about `2 lakh from Udupi ZP. However, panchayat secretary, citing a technical glitch blocked the release of funds to Udupi DCIC.“Panchayat secretary was annoyed with the panchayat for releasing funds directly to DCIC without prior approval from the secretary,” informs K Damodar Aithal of Udupi DCIC. Attempts to get Commissioner of Food and Supplies department to release funds also came to a naught. They recollected that a memorandum on the release of funds was signed with panchayat department. “A proposal estimating the annual budget at Rs 1.75 lakh in order to run the centre has drawn no response,” Aithal fumes.Things are no different with Shimoga and Bellary DCIC. Anand Raj of Bellary DCIC says that in four years of its formation, the centre had received funds to the tune of Rs 4 lakh. The Bellary district administration has delayed the release of money as it is hit by acute staff crunch.Letters from Aithal and Udupi ZP president K Shankar Poojary, urged CM D V Sadananda Gowda to accord special permission to ZP and help release grants to DCIC on a regular basis. These letters have also elicited  no response.Despite being choked for funds, DCIC continues to do what it knows best. For instance Mangalore DCIC patronises 54 consumer clubs in schools and colleges.