New law to deal with misleading advertisements: Minister

New Delhi March 21 (IANS) Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said a new consumer protection law will be brought to ensure strict action against companies publishing misleading advertisements.

The Minister of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution said false and misleading information was disseminated through advertisements in various media.

Speaking during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha he said the new consumer protection bill has been circulated in the Union Cabinet. The law would have strict provisions to deal with misleading advertisements he said.

The government will devise a mechanism to ensure punishment to those involved in putting out misleading advertisements including by manufacturers as well as celebrities.

Paswan said the Parliamentary Standing Committee had suggested several changes to the the Consumer Protection Act which the government will include in the new bill.

He said the government is going to make hallmarking of gold mandatory in which the weight in gm and the company s name on jewellery made of precious metal will have to be embossed.

--IANS
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