Consumers Help Line

Now inflation touching 20 marks is no doubt alarming. Despite of all efforts by the govt. price index is going high. Prices of food items such as sugar, flour, potato, onion etc are breaking all previous records but it seems that there is no control. Govt. should act firmly on this front otherwise it will be difficult for common man to survive. It is time to act now. The report of IMF (International Monitory Fund) in which their is a prediction of food shortage is also a bad signal. Let us have some measures for that.

Rag packers are the real ambassador of climate change. They are working on their climate change agenda helping for recycling of waste material and earning their bread. Enhancing the economy of the country saving our forest and reducing emission of the green house gases but still they are not getting their recognitions in the society they should be involved in viable economy development projects of the government. Rag pickers are most eligible for carbon credit govt. should recognize them and give them benefits of carbon credit. While our local bodies’ particularly local bodies are constitutionally duty bound for waste management and allied services. But, they are not doing enough work in this direction. So we should reward these Rag Pickers.

Recently economic advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh proposed a new criteria for listing of BPL (below poverty line families) in which inspite of calorie based intake is changed with economy status of the each family. It is a drastic change and increase the below poverty line list for 37 crore to 40 crore. No doubt it is a more practical approach toward “aam admi”. Calorie based criteria is outdated now it will change all the data’s of development and developing schemes of the nations.

Still rising prices are alarming, common man still facing threat from price rise. Poors are unable to live graceful life. Inflation rates are above 17.47% while it was 15.58% last week, whole sale price index which declared by the govt. of India and actual prices are still above govt. declared price index. The mechanism of price index is irrelevant at present.

The revolutionary and drastic change to improve public delivery system is a commendable job. The govt. of India bringing in “service level agreements” (SLA). Which will mandate time frames and identifying dealing officer responsible for delivering services which includes nine services such as: birth Certificate, Death Certificate, Ration Cards, Driving License, Voter Id, etc. Delay will cause penalty on official concerned to make him liable for delay. No doubt we needs better evolution schemes to grade its army of beaurocrates and improve the public delivery system, after RTI Act (right to information act). This bid to improve public delivery system is great idea of Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India.

It is surprising that Pendency of court cases reached Himalayan Heights. While government of India or State governments are equally responsible for this mess. The largest numbers of cases are those in which govt. itself is party. It is main litigant in the matter. Even some rules of the CRPC and CPC are also play important role in the Pendency of the cases. Specifically Rule 17 order 6th of CPC is known cause of delay in court cases. In which Supreme Court held that amendment of the plinth is allow at any stage of the case. This order is misused. Supreme Court earlier in its judgment, Revajeetu Builders vs. Narayanaswamy & sons held that a large number of applications under order VI Rule 17 of the Civil Procedure Code are filed and our courts are flooded with such cases. In discriminated filing of applications for amendments is one of the main causes of delay in disposal of civil cases. This rule was derived from England law and adopted in the old Civil Procedure Code of 1882. According to the law as it stands, the court may, at any stage of the proceedings, allow either party to alter or amend the pleading to determine fairly the dispute between the parties.
In my view in garb of order VI rule 17th parties take advantage to delay the proceeding of the courts which is misuse of the rule. In my view, clear guidelines may help disposing of these applications satisfactorily.

Before signing any proposal form of any insurance policy make sure that you have clearly gone through the proposal form.
1. Be sure about premium and other cost of the policy.
2. Be sure about the commission structure of the policy.
3. Don’t be in hurry; evaluate other plan policy of other companies also.
4. Make sure the underline bonds, stocks which will generate return in the plan.
5. Be sure about portfolio of the plan and credential of the fund manager.
6. Don’t leave any column blank other then to be filed by the office purpose of the insurer’s office.
7. Any photocopy of your document should be specified for which purpose are being attached.
8. Be sure about office address, telephone, mobile number which has to be utmost use in the event of claim.
9. Be sure about the policy document, when it will be receive. Make sure to read it.
If any thing to be enquired get it done.

In India insurance companies trend was to insure only male. The logic given by insurance companies was that because the bread winner or say earning member always supposes to be male, so against the lost of his income the insurance cover is required. However additional to this incentive was that the female lives have some extra risk for their lives during their child birth process. In insurance companies women are broadly divided into 3 categories:
1. Working women.
2. Women with income by way of interest, Rent on any incomes that are taxable.
3. Housewives (those have no income of their own).
While, working women are equally treated like their male part for insurance cover. But house wives are insurability is tied with adequate life insurance cover for her husband. The cover of house wives can not be exceeding to her husband’s cover. Insurance company never considers the contribution of a housewife to her family, society and her contribution in the growth of society. I think this concept should be change. The housewives are equally partner and contributor in day-to-day affair of the family.

While inflation is going down prices of the commodities are going high and high. It is very difficult for “Aam Admi” (common man)to live a garceful life and it seems there is no control on the rising prices. The Government of the day repeatetly claiming to bring down the inflation rates. But it is wel known fact that the norms to maintain inflation or whole sale price index are out dated and not relavent to todays life. While items notified in the whole sale price index are completely irrelavent which is against the common practice to maintain graceful life for common man. This outdated Mechanism to maintain whole sale price index and inflation rates are immedately required to be changeupto actual whole sale price index to maintain a real life easier for “Aam Admi”(common man). The list of items which part of maintaining whole sale price index should be extended.

Usually insurance companies and their agents aggressively promote their policies. The buyers or say consumers need to be aware of some key elements. Here is some short listed:-
1. Premium allocation charges this could be a main point of differentiator between an expensive and cheap policy, basically the distribution charges which goes to the agents kitty is main root cause why they aggressively, marketing he policy. Charges are always varying to a great extent between the plans. The charges charged in the 1st year, declining in the subsequent years. There is wide range of 0%-100% of yours first year premium with the average being around 25% for the first year.

In my view one should care fully read the document provided by the insurers. While companies allocate 100% of first year premium towards granted maturity addition, which is some time is incorrect. For example if first year premium is 1 lakh for 15 years then first year premium located towards 130% it means that at the end of 15 years back policy holder will get Rs.1,30,000. One should always be careful before filling the proposal form for insurance the following benefits:-
1. Death Benefit.
2. Minimum/Maximum term.
3. Maturity Benefit.
4. Fund Management Charges.