Report and Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SP)
 
Udupi, Mar 15: The district-level World Consumers’ Day was observed at Upendra Pai Memorial College, Kunjibettu here on Tuesday March 15 by the Consumers Forum here.  It was organized in association with district administration, zilla panchayat, food and civil supplies department, consumers’ affairs department, information and broadcasting department,  and the legal metrology  department.
 
State home and district in-charge minister, Dr V S Acharya, inaugurated the programme.

 
Speaking at the occasion, Dr Acharya said that a Consumers’ Protection Forum will be established in the state.  Meanwhile, awareness on consumers’ rights will be created in high schools across the state, in a bid to protect the interests of consumers, he revealed.  He also assured that the budgetary allocation of funds meant for the consumers forums will be released within the current year, instead of in the next year as per the practice followed in the previous years. 
 
MLA Raghupati Bhat presided over the programme.
 
Kaup MLA, Lalaji R Mendon, deputy commissioner (DC), Hemalata P, zilla panchayat president, Gladys D’Almeida, zilla panchayat secretary, Pranesh Rao and Upendra Pai Memorial College principal, Prof Krishnamurty were the chief guests of the programme.
 
A T Kodancha delivered the key note address on the topic ‘Our money, our rights.’
 
District Consumers Forum convener, Damodar Aithal, delivered the introductory address. Food and civil supplies department deputy director, Vijayakumari Shenoy, welcomed the gathering. District information officer, Junjanna, proposed vote of thanks.  Altaf Ahmed compered the programme.