Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is one of the two Departments under
the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. It was constituted
as a separate Department in June 1997 to give a fillip to the nascent consumer in the country.
The Department has been entrusted with the following work :
- The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of 1955) (Supply, Prices and Distribution
of Essential Commodities not dealt with specifically by any other Department).
- Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supply of Essential Commodities
Act, 1980(7 of 1980).
- Regulation of Packaged Commodities.
- Training in Legal Metrology.
- The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1952.
- Standards of Weights and Measures - The Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
- Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
- Laying down specifications, standards and codes and ensuring quality control of
bio-fuels for end uses.
- Consumer Cooperatives
- Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
- Monitoring of prices and availability of Essential Commodities.
- National Test House.