A senior Gujarat government official has pointed to the recent IndiGo flight disruptions as a stark example of the consumer hardships caused by market duopoly or monopoly situations. The comments were made during an event marking National Consumer Day.
Official Cites Aviation Disruption as Systemic Issue
Mona Khandhar, the Principal Secretary for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in Gujarat, addressed the issue on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. She was speaking at an event hosted by the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC) in Ahmedabad.
Khandhar directly referenced the widespread IndiGo technical glitch that left thousands of passengers stranded. "One very important thing is the IndiGo glitch that we all experienced," she stated. "We have seen its span... it was a sheer duopoly or market monopoly-related issue, and the passengers or consumers of their service, the way they were put to hardship, we all have seen."
Government Push for Proactive Consumer Fora
The official emphasized the need to identify sectors where consumers are particularly vulnerable. She listed key areas requiring vigilant oversight:
- Aviation (due to duopoly concerns)
- Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
- Education services
- Packaged and processed foods
Khandhar urged consumer forums to step in and provide 'pre-litigation services' to fill regulatory gaps. The government's push is for these bodies to focus on sectors with monopoly tendencies or where regulations are still evolving, ensuring a balance between service providers and receivers.
CERC's Grassroots Initiative Praised
During the event, the work of CERC was highlighted, including its Jagrut Grahak Gram Project in Rajpar village, Wadhwan taluka, Surendranagar. The project involved 'adopting' the village to educate residents about consumer rights, which successfully helped them ward off fraudulent calls.
Khandhar concluded by stressing that intervention in these critical sectors is vital as it affects large communities, from students to healthcare seekers. The Gujarat government is actively working on models to bring service providers and consumers onto a common platform through agencies like CERC.
