With an emphasis on ‘safe, optimum and quality products/services’, CUTS CART holds the position of a leading consumer organisation in the country. It has also stepped up its activities in South Asian and African countries to help in nurturing consumer welfare programmes.
In an era of globalisation and liberalisation, when market forces are terribly strong, consumers are found to be at a very vulnerable due to several hidden strategies and processes implemented by the producers and sellers. To save consumers from vulnerability, the Centre has taken up consumer education and protection as its core programme area to work upon.
Rhoda Karpatkin International Award
Programmes/Projects
Under Implementation:
- Front of Pack Labels for HFSS in all Foods in India
- Telecom Activities
- Financial Consumer Protection
Completed:
- Safe Food Practices in Rajasthan
- Elimination of Trans-Fats in India
- Giving the Poorest Consumers Greater Voice in India (ProVoice)
- Support Strong Food Labelling Regulations and Elimination of Trans Fats in India
- State of Consumer Safety in India’ (ConsumersUp-2)
- A Forward Looking Agenda to Address the Concerns of Common Consumers(ConsumersUp)
- Grassroots Reach out and Networking in Rajasthan through Consumer Action (GRANIRCA)
- Campaign for ‘Holding Broadband Service Providers to Account’
- Tobacco Control Intervention
- State of the Indian Consumer
- Campaign on Consumer Rights
- Campaign on Consumer Safety
- National Consumer Policy
- Consumer Awareness Programme (CAP)
Study on Misleading Advertisement:
With a special focus on educating the ‘small/marginal investors’, the Centre has been working with an aim to promote a competitive investment culture among rural investors in order to protect their rights through mass awareness and education and via creating a true investment environment.Through various interventions CUTS CART has set the goal of leading people in the rural areas towards investment in the capital market and thus getting them rid of hesitation and panic, which they often face while investing their hard earned money in private Non-Banking Institutions (NBIs) and elsewhere. The Centre positions itself in a status to educate them not to fall prey to promises of unrealistic returns by NBIs and other private institutions.
Research Survey-Our Money Our Rights
Programmes/Projects
At this moment there is a need to follow a pattern of consumption that can sustain the environment and its resources without withholding the needs of the future generation. The term “Sustainable Consumption” refers to selective consumption based on awareness of the environmental, social and economic aspects of consumption. Sustainability is defined as “meeting the need of current without compromising the need of future generations”.The use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations.
- Developing a Culture of Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyle Through Promoting Organic Consumption and Production and Adopting Sustainable Consumption Practices by Engaging Consumers in the State of Rajasthan, India’ (ProScop)
- Sustainable Consumption and Production in India: A Consumer Perspective
- Sustainable Consumption Cultures, Practices and Lifestyles in India
- Save to Survive
- Visit of officials from Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)
- Pilot Project to Promote Organic Consumption in the State of Rajasthan
(ProOrganic) - Developing a Culture of Sustainable Consumption and Lifestyle through Organic Production and Consumption in State of Rajasthan (ProOrganic II)
- Green Action Week Fund-India
- Green Action Week Fund-Rajasthan
Utilities are fundamental to life and are the engine room behind our businesses. An effort of making them efficient and effective is therefore essential. This has comprehensively been recognised by the Governments – Central as well as States – which have failed to provide efficiently.As a utility watchdog, CUTS CART stands for demand of reliable service and sound policies for enhancement of the infrastructural reforms through regulation for a more livable India. The Centre advocates for better utility policies for providing one platform for both consumers and suppliers and mobilise them to take action for change.
Programmes/Projects
Projects Implemented:
- Regulatory Reforms in Electricity Sector in South Asia (RESA) Project
- CUTS Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (CUTS- FES) Project
Other Interventions:
- Regulatory Impact Assessment in Indian Electricity Generation Sector-CUTS Study
- CUTS-Jaipur Discom Joint Discussion on Present Financial Position and Ways to Improve the Overall Status of Electricity Sector in Rajasthan-22nd February 2016
Advocacy: