paneer - consumer voice · faraz ahmed admin ramanjeet kaur govind singh real estate sajjan jindal...

Vol. XIX, Issue 9 september 2018 rs 50

www.consumer-voice.org

Which brands did (not) clear the microbiological safety tests? 8 brands compared

Paneer

Real Estate MattersIs RERA Applicable to Lease

Agreements?

Product SurveyElectric Kitchen Chimneys

Service Charges by Payment Banks5 Banks Compared

tOp perFOrmer

COMPARATIVE TESTPaneerWhich brands did (not) clear the microbiological safety tests?

IN THE NEWS

8

5

Contents

17

22

27

FOOD & STUFFCold-Pressed Foodextracting the important details

DECODING FOOD LABELSCheese Slicessay it with energy, protein and calcium

PRODUCT SURVEYElectric Kitchen Chimneys taking the smoke out of your cooking

32 BFSIService Charges by Payment BanksHow differentiated are these?

39

43

45

BFSI GUIDEIn healthcare access and deliveryWill Ayushman Bharat Be the turning Point?

REAL ESTATE MATTERSInsolvency and Bankruptcy Code and the Real Estate ActDo these contradict each other?

Is RERA Applicable to Lease Agreements?Yes, if they are long-term

4 •

Editor's VoiceChief EditorProf PK Ghosh

Mg EditorProf sri Ram Khanna

COOAshim sanyal

Director OutreachAnand Pandeya

GM, Operationsshalini Goyal Bhalla

Editor Padma Pegu

Sales & Distributionniraj Kumar singh

Hindi EditorialRashmi Khati

Digital TeamAnuradha GakharRajesh AdhikariAman nayan Divya Patwal

Food DeskAshok Kanchan

BFSIGopal Ravi Kumarsubas tiwari

AccountsMonender singh

IT DeskHemant Upadhyay

TechnicalBhaskar Kr MukhopadhyayMAU Khan H Wadhwa KC Choudharysheeba Parveen

LegalAnkur sahaVikash soni

Projects and CSRRinki sharmaAmarjeet singhekta Purohitnaresh PrasadAmrit sindhu

MarketingPranay shethsnehanshu singhAshutosh Massey

SubscriptionFaraz Ahmed

AdminRamanjeet KaurGovind singh

Real Estatesajjan Jindal

Editor’s note: Consumer Voice does not accept any corporate advertisements or advertorials for the magazine. This has been the magazine’s policy since the first issue was published in 1997 and it keeps our reportage unbiased and non-partisan. Consumer Voice regularly publishes laboratory results of product tests. These products are purchased from the retail market before being sent to an independent NABL-accredited laboratory for testing.

We are thankful to Dept. of Consumer Affairs for supporting the initiative of consumer education and empowerment..

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PadmaEditor

Know your rights. Send CEOs on spare-parts hunt

What would you do if you realized that you would no longer be able to wear your treasured watch because its strap wore out within a year of its purchase? Go to the authorized dealer, workshop or service centre and get it replaced, right? Wearing out of straps is quite common and one does not have to abandon the whole watch because of that. However, what if that particular strap is not available at any of the authorized centres and the company’s customer care representatives tell you that the same has been discontinued by the company despite the watch being just about a year old and has a two-year warranty on the same?

Something like this happened with me. An expensive chronograph’s strap wore out. I visited the exclusive shop where an arrogant owner in his Punjabi accent told me: Oh, this one has been discontinued...

But the watch is still in the warranty period, I reverted, and he beat me with his logic: How do you think the company will sell more watches and earn more if they continue to make spares and do repairs? If you want, I can put another strap, but it may not match the dial... else you may get it sewed from a cobbler...

I left the shop and called customer care, who asked me to write an email with model number, pictures, etc. They reverted after a whole week, only to tell me that the strap had been discontinued. No, they did not provide any solution/resolution. I asked if this was the practice – if they ever made any straps or any spare part available; they reverted with their standard ‘we regret the inconvenience caused’.

Aggrieved but fully aware of my rights as a consumer, I forwarded the whole email exchange with the customer care to the CEO of the brand and asked him if this was the practice, and whether their ‘authorized’ centre’s representative was right. He replied within an hour with an apology and committed to resolve the matter for me. The country sales head and another senior management person were marked in the reply. Within an hour I received a call from the sales head, with him assuring that his team would soon get the matter resolved. I told him that I only wanted to know if discontinuing or not making enough spare parts was standard practice at their company. He came up with some weird supply-and-demand logic (nothing that we know from textbooks), essentially putting the blame on vendors.

It’s now three weeks since I received about half-a-dozen calls from different people at the company. The last call was from the sales head himself, confirming that they had sourced the particular strap from a dealer in Dehradun and that they would send the same to the company’s head office in Bengaluru for quality check, before having it couriered either to me or to the shop from where I bought it. They were also not sure if the strap was covered under the warranty or if I would have to pay for it (probably they’ll have to ask the CEO if I should be charged, etc.).

Anyway, while I await the next update, it becomes clear that no consumer should ever abandon any product for non-availability of its spare parts, at least not without putting up a fight or writing that all-important mail. It is the responsibility of the company to provide spares until the ‘expected lifespan’ of the product. The same has been affirmed by the national consumer forum many a times. Indeed, there have been several cases against automobile manufacturers, but we rarely find people knocking at the doors of consumer forums for ‘smaller’ products like the refrigerator bulb, the microwave’s handle, or the strap of a watch.

CONSUMER VOICE SEptEMbER 2018 • 5

In the News

Keep patients info private: Andhra Pradesh consumer commission

The Andhra Pradesh State Consumer Redressal Commission has asked doctors and hospitals to not share patient information unless required by a court of law, and warned of possible legal consequences if they go against this. The Commission was dealing with a home-loan case against SBI. The Commission stated that maintaining confidentiality of a patient’s medical aspects was absolutely necessary and stressed that it was not only part of a doctor’s professional conduct but also a Constitutional obligation.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Noushad Ali (president) and P Mutyala Naidu of the commission were allowing the claim of one G Vijaya Kumari of Vijayawada against SBI Life Insurance Company Ltd. The bench observed that “it is trite to note that of late, almost every doctor/hospital is observing a professional obligation and the mandate of Constitution with impunity. They are sharing medical records of patients routinely with insurance companies, without realising consequences.”

“While selling the policies, the insurance companies do not take care as to whether the intending purchaser is eligible for the policy. They in fact lure them through agents and sell policies only with a view to improve their financial top-line. But when it comes to settlement of claims, they engage in all sorts of exercises, suspecting bona fides of claim,” the bench noted. The bench pointed out that the insurance companies invariably engaged their so-called investigators, who in-turn approached doctors/hospitals for records.

The commission said that doctors/hospitals should treat medical records and patient information as highly private and sensitive, to maintain doctor-patient confidentiality, and should adhere to regulations of Indian Medical Council of India.

The case of the applicant was that her husband Seshagiri Rao had obtained Rs 22 lakh as housing loan from SBI Branch at Benz Circle in Vijayawada. The insured covered the loan with a policy under SBI RIN Raksha Home Loan Scheme, by paying a premium of Rs 64,057. The policy was valid for a period of 186 months, with insurance cover from 14 September 2012, and the bank was the master policyholder. Seshagiri Rao died in 2014 due to cancer and when his wife approached the bank claiming waiver of the home loan covered by the insurance policy, the bank denied the claim on the ground of suppressing facts, based on a report given by an investigator engaged by SBI Insurance Ltd.

The commission noted that the insured on his part appeared before a panel, including a doctor of the bank, who had then issued a certificate about his good health, and so the claim of the bank and insurance company on the ground of suppression of material facts by the insured of his pre-existing illness did not have any substantial legal proof. While holding that the applicant was liable for the claim, the commission directed SBI to settle the claim and refund the property documents as well as pay Rs 1 lakh to the applicant as compensation towards mental agony, and also directed the bank to pay Rs 25,000 towards cost of litigation, within three months.

Photo

6 •

In the NewsIn the News

Delhi consumer commission orders hospital to pay Rs 25 lakh compensation

The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has asked Jaipur Golden Hospital to pay Rs 24 lakh as compensation and Rs 1 lakh as litigation cost to the family of a man, Nitin Dabla, who died there during treatment due to deficient service.

“This may serve the purpose of bringing about a qualitative change in the attitude of the hospital for providing service to the human beings as human beings. Human touch is necessary; that is their code of conduct; that is their duty and that is what is required to be implemented,” the bench comprising judicial member OP Gupta and member Anil Srivastava said.

Dabla (37) of northwest Delhi had a boil on his right thigh that got swollen and he visited the hospital on 9 February 2011 for treatment, according to the complaint. He was admitted and placed under treatment, and due to the seriousness of his condition, doctors decided to conduct a surgery on him on the same day. Blood transfusion was done on 15 February as part of the treatment but the blood, apparently being thick, was unable to pass through the pipe. The family also alleged that the doctor treating him did not bother to examine his deteriorating condition, though reportedly he was available in the hospital and well aware of his serious condition.

“The worst was that the oxygen mask lying there could not be put into operation since the cylinder attached was empty, something unheard of and unprecedented in any hospital,” the complaint said. The doctor came after 15 minutes but it was too late to “retrieve him to normalcy” and he was declared dead, it said.

The hospital claimed that the complainants (family of Dabla) were at fault as they had suppressed the fact of the patient being a diabetic. The state commission said the argument did not stand as it was otherwise incumbent on the part of the hospital to make necessary investigations before commencing the treatment, and asked it to pay the compensation.

Voice OutreachTobacco intervention and sensitisation

Consumer Voice along with various state partners have been engaged in tobacco intervention throughout India. As this is an important public health issue, the teams have been sensitizing various relevant stakeholders to enlist their support, so as to have the most impact on tobacco control.

Globally, around 6 million people die due to tobacco use every year. For India, the number is more than 1 million each year, which translates into 2 Indians dying every minute due to tobacco use.

The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) is a global standard for systematically monitoring adult tobacco use (smoking and smokeless) and tracking key tobacco-control indicators.

GATS-1 was conducted between June 2009 and January 2010. The second survey was conducted between August 2016 and February 2017. It was conducted by the Union Health & Family Welfare Ministry and Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

Comparing GATS-1 with GATS-2, one can see an overall reduction – six per cent – in tobacco consumption at the national level.


In the NewsIn the News

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Ashim Sanyal to Maninder Singh and Gaurav Pathak, Laundry R&D team, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, on Surf Excel Matic being ranked No. 1 in the comparative product testing of detergent powders – premium top-load category, published in the August 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Ashim Sanyal, COO, Consumer Voice, to Vikram Shashimohan, brand manager – Active Wheel, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, on Active Wheel being ranked No. 1 in the comparative product testing of detergent powders – economy category. The report was published in the August 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Ashim Sanyal to Gireesh Gera, brand manager – Tide, Procter and Gamble, on Tide being ranked No. 1 in the comparative product testing of detergent powders – regular category, published in the August 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Ashim Sanyal to Gaurav Pathak, Laundry R&D, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, on Surf Excel Quick Wash being ranked No. 1 in the comparative product testing of detergent powders – sub-premium category, published in the August 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

Certificate of Recognition being handed over by Ashim Sanyal to Laxmi Dass, chairman (right), BR Sharma, honorary chief advisor, AC Parmar, honorary advisor, and Sanjeev Dheer, CEO (left ), Kangra Cooperative Bank, on the bank being ranked No. 1 in the comparative evaluation of service charges in cooperative banks, published in the August 2018 issue of Consumer Voice.

Here are some glimpses from the report:

• InIndia,28.6percentofadultsaged15andabovecurrentlyusetobaccoinsomeform.Every3rd adult in rural areas and every 5th adult in urban areas use tobacco in some form or the other. Among the adults, 24.9 per cent are daily tobacco users and 3.7 per cent are occasional users.

• 12.1percentofdailyusersofsmokelesstobaccoaged20–34hadstartedusingsmokelesstobaccowhen they were younger than age 15, and 36.2 per cent of daily smokeless tobacco users aged 20–34 had started smoking or started smokeless tobacco use when they were minors (younger than 18 years).

• Theprevalenceoftobaccousevariedacrossthestates/UTsfrom64.5percentinTripurato9.7per cent in Goa. The mean number of cigarettes smoked per day by a daily cigarette smoker was 6.8 and the mean number of bidis smoked per day by a daily bidi smoker was 15.1.

GATS is a nationally representative household survey of adults aged 15 years or older, using a standard core questionnaire, sample design, and data collection and management procedures that were reviewed and approved by international experts. The GATS report indicates that creating awareness on harmful effects of consuming tobacco has helped the cause of tobacco-consumption reduction.

8 •

Paneer, the delight and pride of vegetarians, is consumed widely in India and the packaged product and the loose variant have their own share of patronage. As any other dairy product, paneer needs cold storage and everyone knows that. the question is: is the cold chain maintained throughout the supply chain? After all, paneer spoils bacteriologically at room temperature. What are the guidelines and regulations in this regard and are all packaged brands safety- and hygiene-compliant? the following report reproduces the findings of a firsthand study of the samples of eight popular brands of paneer. Find out how your favourite paneer brand fared in the tests. Apart from being microbiologically safe, does it have the requisite milk fat, protein, calcium, and energy value? Does it have the right balance of moisture and milk fat? Most of us look out for ‘soft’ attributes like the appearance and texture, but clearly there is a case for knowing if the paneer adheres to the regulatory standards.

A Consumer Voice Report

PaneerWhich brands did (not) clear the microbiological safety tests?

Comparative Test

We tested eight popular brands of packaged paneer on a range of quality, safety and acceptability parameters. These included milk fat, protein, calcium, energy,

cholesterol, moisture and titratable acidity. The brands were further subjected to microbiological safety tests for total plate count (TPC), E. coli,

The samples were tested as per specification laid out by FSS Regulations and the relevant Indian Standard IS: 10484 (specifications for paneer), as well as IS: 15346 (specifications for methods of sensory evaluation of paneer). The tests were conducted at an NABL-accredited laboratory.


Paneer

BRANDS TESTED

coliform, yeast and mould, S. aureus, Salmonella and L. Monocytogenes, as well as sensory panel tests.

We will begin the report with results of microbiological tests as the results of these tests nullify all other results (physical, chemical, sensory). Even if the paneer performs fine in various other tests, failing the microbiological tests means that it is ‘not suitable for human consumption in raw form’.

Consumers are advised to buy paneer (preferably packaged) kept in a refrigerated condition. Paneer kept in open should not be consumed raw.

Note: ‘Use by’ date is given where shelf life is not more than seven days.

Score Rating: >90: very good*****, 71–90: good****, 51–70: average***, 31–50: poor**, <30: very poor*

Rank Total Score out of 100

(rounded off)

Brand Quantity (gm)

MRP (Rs) Best before

Manufactured/Marketed by

1 87 Ananda 200 70 15 days Gopaljee Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd

2 86 Amul 200 65 45 days Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd

3 83 Gowardhan 200 75 75 days Parag Milk Foods Ltd

4 79 Mother Dairy 200 65 15 days Mother Dairy Fruits & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd

4 79 Paras 200 70 15 days VRS Foods Pvt. Ltd

5 77 Nova 200 60 (Rs 10 off) 10 days Sterling Agro Industries Ltd

6 71 Vita 200 60 ‘Use by’ date given

The Ballabgarh Co-op Milk Producers Union Ltd

7 69 Verka 200 60/65 (Delhi, HP)

‘Use by’ date given

Ropar District Co-op Milk Producers Union Ltd

CV RECOMMENDATION | TOP PERFORMER

Ananda

Value for Money

Amul

10 •

Key Findings

• Basedontheoveralltestfindings,thetopperformerisAnanda.

• Thevalue-for-moneybrandisAmul.

• MotherDairy,Paras,Nova,VitaandVerkawerefoundwithtracesofcoliform,E. coli and TPC.

• AsperFSSRegulations,microbiologicalrequirementsatretailerlevelarespecifiedonlyforSalmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. Other microbiological parameters covering TPC, E. coli, coliform, yeast and mould, and S. aureus are applicable at plant level. These parameters should be maintained up to retailer’s end also as consumers buy the paneer directly from the retailer.

• TitratableaciditywasslightlyhighinVerka,NovaandGowardhan,anddidnotmeettherequirementof Indian Standard.

• Insensorypaneltests,MotherDairyperformedontop.

Paneer means the product obtained from milk by precipitation with sour milk, lactic acid, or citric acid. In simple terms, paneer is an indigenous milk product prepared by the combined action of acid coagulation and heat treatment of milk and the subsequent drainage of whey.

To prepare paneer, food acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt) is added to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey. The separated curd is pressed in muslin or cheesecloth and the excess water is drained out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance.

Comparative Test


TEST RESULTSFOR MICROBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

Total Plate Count | Yeast and Mould Count | Coliform Count | E. coli | S. aureus | Salmonella |

Listeria monocytogenes

As per 10th Amendment Regulations, 2016, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has specified microbiological requirements for process hygiene and food safety.

a) Process hygiene FSSAI has specified following criteria for process

control at plant level. These are not applicable at retailer level. However, these parameters should be maintained up to retailer’s end as consumers buy the paneer directly from the retailer.

Given here are acceptable limits of total plate count (TPC), coliform, yeast and mould, E. coli and S. Aureus for paneer.

i) TPC – m: 150, 000/gm, M: 350,000/gm

ii) Coliform (cfu/gm) – m: 10/gm, M: 100/gm

iii) Yeast and mould (cfu/gm) – m: 50/g, M: 150/gm

iv) E. coli – m: <10/gm

v) S. aureus – m: 10/gm, M: 100/gm

Here ‘m’ represents an acceptable level; values that are only marginally above it are acceptable. The ‘M’ shows a microbiological criterion that separates ‘marginally acceptable quality’ from ‘unsatisfactory/potentially hazardous quality’. These are indicative contamination values above which corrective actions are required in order to maintain the hygiene of the process in compliance with the law.

Most edible products are normally contaminated with microbes (or microorganisms). They are so small that we need a microscope to see them. Microbes include bacteria, yeast, mould, algae, and protozoan. However, the organisms that normally contaminate and spoil foods are the bacterium with yeast and moulds of secondary importance. Under normal conditions, microbes feed on the food in which they live and reproduce and cause a variety of changes in the food, most of which result in a loss of the food’s quality. As per the regulations, there’s an acceptable standard limit of microbes prescribed for each food item.

Paneer

12 •

Comparative Test

Sl No.

Brand Name Results

TPC E Coli Coliform, cfu/gm Yeast & Mould, cfu/gm S.Aureus cfu/g

1 Amul <10 <10 <10 <10 <10

2 Ananda 8,500 <10 <10 <10 <10

3 Gowardhan <10 <10 <10 <10 <10

4 Paras 550,000 4,300 66,000 <10 <10

5 Mother Dairy 930,000 30,000 71,000 <10 <10

6 Verka 330,000 5,200 79,000 <10 <10

7 Vita 580,000 3,200 35,000 <10 <10

8 Nova 650,000 <10 4,000 <10 <10

• Amul and Gowardhan scored highest, followed by Ananda.

• Five brands – Mother Dairy, Paras, Verka, Vita and Nova – were found to be high in above microbiological tests.

• TPC was found to be high in Mother Dairy, Nova, Paras and Vita.

• E. coli was high in Mother Dairy, Paras, Verka and Vita.

• Coliform count was high in Mother Dairy, Nova, Paras, Verka and Vita.

• All brands passed in yeast and mould count and S. aureus tests.

b) Microbial food safety Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes are

pathogenic bacteria and can leave one with an upset stomach. These shall be absent at retailer level also.

• All brands passed these tests.


FOR PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS

Milk Fat | Protein | Calcium | Moisture | Energy | Cholesterol | Titratable acidity

Milk Fat (on dry basis)

Paneer derived from milk contains mainly milk fat, which is essential for better health. The percentage of milk fat in paneer depends on how fresh the milk is as well as milk composition. As per the national standards, paneer should contain at least 50 per cent milk fat when measured on dry basis.

Fat is an essential part of any balanced diet, providing essential fatty acids and a concentrated source of energy as well as aiding in digestion of certain fat-soluble vitamins. As per Dietary Guidelines for Indians by National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, 2011, diets of young children and adolescents should contain about 30 grams to 50 grams fat per day. So, a higher amount of milk fat is better for consumers.

• All brands met the minimum requirement for milk fat content.

• Gowardhan (54.4 per cent) had the highest fat content followed by Ananda (52.6 per cent), and Nova the lowest (50.1 per cent).

Protein (on dry basis)

Paneer is a rich source of protein and while the national standards have not prescribed requirements in this regard, a high amount of protein is considered to be good.

• Amul (23.1 gm/100 gm) was found with the highest amount of protein, followed by Nova (22.6 gm/100 gm) and Ananda (20.4 gm/100 gm). The lowest amount of protein was found in Vita (18.6 gm/100 gm).

Calcium

Paneer, like other milk products, is a good source of calcium and its consumption helps in preventing osteoporosis.

Calcium plays an important role in building stronger, denser bones early in life and keeping bones strong and healthy later in life. Calcium deficiency can lead to rickets and poor blood clotting and osteoporosis. As per recommended dietary allowances (RDA), daily calcium intake should be 600 milligrams for man.

• Calcium content was highest in Nova (570.1 mg/kg), followed by Mother Dairy (496.4 mg/kg) and Ananda (493.1 mg/kg). It was lowest in Vita (321 mg/kg).

Moisture

Paneer is a highly perishable milk product that deteriorates rapidly because of high moisture content. Moisture up to a certain limit is an inherent part of fresh paneer. As per the national standards, it should not be more than 60 per cent.

• Moisture in all the brands was found within the specified limit.

• Amul had the lowest moisture (48.3 gm/100 gm), followed by Ananda (50.4 gm/100 gm). It was highest in Verka and Vita (55.1 gm/100 gm).

Energy

Energy value was measured to verify the label claims. There is no requirement in the standards in this regard.

• Amul (331.4 kcal/100 gm) was found to have the highest energy value, followed by Ananda (321.3 kcal/100 gm). It was lowest in Verka (286.7 kcal/100 gm).

Paneer

14 •

Comparative Test

Cholesterol

Cholesterol increases the risk of heart and nervous-system problems, brain-synapse connectivity, gall-bladder stones and perhaps even cancer. These cholesterols are inherently found in the milk fats. The intake of cholesterol should not be more than 300 mg/day.

Cholesterol plays a central role in many biochemical processes but is best known for the association of cardiovascular disease. There are two main types of cholesterol – low-density lipoproteins or LDL (bad cholesterol), which can result in fatty deposits in our arteries, and high-density lipoproteins or HDL (good cholesterol), which absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver, which flushes it from the body. So, while your body needs some cholesterol, too much of it can raise your risk of heart disease. A diet high in trans fats and saturated fats tends to increase blood cholesterol levels, whereas a diet high in unsaturated fats tends to lower blood cholesterol levels.

• Vita (593.7 mg/kg) was found with the highest amount of cholesterol, followed by Gowardhan (584.4 mg/kg) and Verka (572.8 mg/kg).

• Nova had the lowest cholesterol (446.5 mg/kg), followed by Ananda (524.1 mg/kg).

Titratable acidity

The maximum acidity allowed in paneer is 0.50 per cent.

Titratable acidity is a measure of the amount of acid present in a solution. Presence of acidity as lactic acid was measured as its presence in high quantity could cause the paneer to become bitter as well as allow microbiological activity to begin.

• Titratable acidity was slightly high in Verka, Nova and Gowardhan, exceeding the maximum limit specified by the national standards.

• Vita (0.33 per cent) had the lowest acidity, followed by Mother Dairy (0.42 per cent).


FOR SENSORY ATTRIBUTES

Based on the guidelines of IS: 15346-2003 (Method for sensory evaluation of paneer/channa), the following attributes were considered for judging the sensory attributes of paneer. The tests were conducted by expert panellists. Average mean scores were factored in for ranking of the samples.

Colour and appearance

Paneer shall be clear and free from dirt, surface discolouration, insects and rodent contamination, and foreign matter/particles and adulterants. It shall not have any free moisture/water. It should have a milky-white colour. No extraneous colouring matter shall be added to it.

Flavour/Odour

The paneer shall have a pleasant odour and a characteristic mild acidic flavour. It should be free from off-flavour and odour.

Body and texture

Paneer shall have a closely knit smooth and homogeneous texture, and a firm, cohesive and spongy body.

Taste and after-taste feeling

It shall have a good pleasant taste and not be bitter or have a smoky taste.

• Mother Dairy topped in the overall sensory scores,followed by Paras, Amul and Ananda.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL SCORES

Parameter ↓Weightage

(%)Ananda Amul Gowardhan Mother

DairyParas Nova Vita Verka

Milk fat 14 11.31 9.18 13.33 10.08 11.09 8.51 9.74 9.07

Protein 10 7.24 8.86 6.58 7.30 6.70 8.56 6.16 6.94

Calcium 8 7.89 6.48 6.46 7.94 7.44 8.00 5.14 6.37

Moisture 8 6.34 6.67 5.84 6.16 6.00 6.13 5.58 5.58

Energy 7 6.23 6.80 5.43 5.68 5.45 5.61 4.47 4.30

Cholesterol 7 5.23 5.11 3.97 5.20 5.20 6.86 3.77 4.21

Titratable acidity 5 3.0 3.0 2.35 3.80 3.30 1.95 4.7 1.75

Brand Score out of 20

Mother Dairy 19.67

Paras 19.65

Amul 18.97

Ananda 18.40

Gowardhan 18.05

Vita 17.70

Nova 17.27

Verka 17.05

Paneer

16 •

The Good Things about Paneer

• It is a rich source of protein and calcium.

• The high protein component of paneer also helps in slowing the release of sugar into the blood and prevents abrupt hike and decline in blood sugar levels.

• The whey (remaining liquid part while making paneer) cleanses the bladder and helps prevent bladder infections.

• While high in fat, paneer works for people who have an active lifestyle as they will burn those calories easily and gain its nutrients.

• Paneer may help protect against heart disease by lowering the fat deposition in the arteries.

Comparative Test

FOR GENERAL QUALITIES

Marking/Labelling

As per the national standards, the following details should be clearly and indelibly marked on the labels:

a) Name and trade name of product

b) Name and address of manufacturer/marketer

c) Batch or code number

d) Net weight in grams

e) Date of manufacture

f) Best before (the date given by the manufacturer)

g) Green dot

h) Instructions for storage

i) Nutritional information

j) Maximum retail price

k) Customer-care details

• All the tested brands provided the required information on their labels.

Packaging

The paneer shall be in clean and suitable food-grade packages/wrappers conforming to the relevant Indian Standard. The packing will prevent the product from imparting off-flavour or odour and also prevent it from being contaminated under normal conditions of manufacture, storage, and use.

• All the brands were packed in printed, high-density poly pack (plastic) material.

Net Weight

The net weight was measured and compared with the declared values.

• All the brands were within the maximum permissible limit of net weight as per Legal Metrology Rules.

Dear readers: We are open to hearing your suggestions on products and services that you believe should be reviewed/tested by Team Consumer Voice. You may write to [email protected]


Decoding Food Labels

A snack in its own right, the cheese slice also complements breads, burgers, pizzas, omelettes and what have you. It’s comfort food, all right. that cheese itself is a source of protein and calcium would make any variant of it seem to be a good ingredient for quick-fix meals while on the go. Keeping this factor in view, the following report analyses the information pertaining to these nutrients given on the label of six brands of cheese slices. We have also rated the fat, sugar and salt quantities as per traffic light colours to enable consumers to quickly decide if the product they are picking up fits in with their general ‘healthy food’ choices. the declared quantities for these by the brands may even make you rethink your choices.

Cheese slicessay it with energy, protein and calcium

We chose six popular brands of cheese slice to interpret the nutritional information given on their labels.

Sl No.

Brand Manufactured/Marketed by

1 Amul Gujarat Co-op. Milk Marketing Federation Ltd

2 Britannia Britannia Industries Ltd

3 D’lecta D’lecta Foods Pvt. Ltd

4 GO Parag Milk Foods Ltd

5 Kraft Heinz India Pvt. Ltd

6 Mother Dairy

Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd

18 •


Energy, Protein and Calcium

Key Findings

• EnergyvalueishighestinD’lecta(348kcalper100gm) and lowest in Kraft (279 kcal per 100 gm).

• Consuming100gmofKraftcheeseslicesbyamanengaged in sedentary work means 12 per cent of his daily requirement of energy has been met.

• Proteinvalue ishighest inAmul(20gmin100gm) and lowest in GO (14 gm in 100 gm).

• Consuming 100 gm of Amul cheese slices by aman means one-third (33.3 per cent) of his daily requirement of protein has been met.

• While declaration of calcium on the label is notmandatory as per Indian law, it has been declared by Britannia, GO, Kraft and Mother Dairy. This is a consumer-friendly step on the part of these brands.

• Among the brands that have declared theircalcium content, it is highest in Kraft (1,200 mg

Nutritional labelling of packaged food products refers to the disclosure of the main nutrients, such as energy, fat, protein, carbohydrate, sugar and salt content, on the label. As per India’s Food Safety and Standards (Packaging & Labelling) Regulations, 2011, mandatory nutritional information or nutritional facts per 100 grams or 100 millilitres or per serving of the product shall be given on the label. Such information shall contain the following:

a) energy value in kilocalories (kcal)

b) the amounts of protein, carbohydrate (specify quantity of sugar) and fat in gram (gm) or ml

c) the amount of any other nutrient for which a nutrition or health claim is made

Note that declaration of salt/sodium and calcium is not mandatory.

Sl No.

Brand Energy Protein Calcium

In 100 gm (kcal)

% of RDA for man doing sedentary work

In 100 gm(gm)

% of RDAfor man

In 100 gm(mg)

% of RDAfor man

1 Amul 311 13.4 20.0 33.3 NM -

2 Britannia 309 13.3 17.0 28.3 564 94.0

3 D’lecta 348 15.0 19.5 32.5 NM -

4 GO 335 14.4 14.0 23.3 600 100.0

5 Kraft 279 12.0 17.0 28.3 1,200 200.0

6 Mother Dairy

304 13.1 16.0 26.7 500 83.3

*NM – not mentioned

in 100 gm) and lowest in Mother Dairy (500 mg in 100 gm).

• Consuming100gmofGOcheeseslicesbyamanmeans 100 per cent of his daily requirement of calcium has been met. Even consumption of 50 gm of Kraft cheese slices means one has met 100 per cent of the daily requirement of calcium.


Cheese Slices

Per-Day Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Indians

This is as per the manual of Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2011, prepared by National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. RDA refers to the average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy people.

Traffic Light Labelling

In year 2007, Food Standards Agency (FSA) of the United Kingdom developed traffic light labelling guidelines with these objectives:

• toallowconsumerstocorrectlyidentifyhealthier food products

• toassistconsumerstomakecomparisonsbetween products easily

• toallowconsumerstomakethesecomparisons at a glance

The traffic light labelling system uses three colours

– green, amber and red – to show at a glance if a particular food has low, medium or high amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt are linked with obesity and non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure. As yet, the UK labelling system is not followed in India.

20 •


Ingredient Green (low content)

Amber (medium content)

Red (high content)

Fat less than or equal to 3 gm between 3 gm and 17.5 gm more than 17.5 gm

Sugar less than or equal to 5 gm between 5 gm and 22.5 gm more than 22.5 gm

Salt less than or equal to 0.3 gm between 0.3 gm and 1.5 gm more than 1.5 gm

Results can be interpreted as follows:Green: eat often (desirable); amber: eat occasionally (neutral); red: eat sparingly (undesirable)

This is how the criteria for foods (per 100 grams) are set out in the traffic light labelling system:

Traffic Light Rating of Cheese Slice Brands

•NM: Not mentioned •*Sodium multiplied by 2.54

Sl No. Brand Fat Sugar Salt

In 100 gm (gm)

Traffic Light

In 100 gm (gm)

TrafficLight

In 100 gm (gm)

TrafficLight

1 Amul 25.0 Red 0.0 Green NM -

2 Britannia 25,0 Red 0.0 Green 3.62* Red

3 D’lecta 28.0 Red 0.0 Green NM -

4 GO 24.0 Red 0.0 Green 2.54* Red

5 Kraft 21.7 Red 0.0 Green 3.35* Red

6 Mother Dairy 24.5 Red 0.0 Green NM -


Key Findings

• Traffic light for fat is red for all brands – this means eat these sparingly (undesirable).

• All brands have declared zero sugar – this means one may consume these often if the sugar is in consideration.

• While declaration of sodium/salt on food products label is not mandatory as per Indian law, Britannia, GO and Kraft have done so. This is a consumer-friendly step. Amul, D’lecta and Mother Dairy have not declared their salt content.

• Among the brands that have declared their salt content, the traffic light is red.

• As per WHO guidelines on dietary salt, consuming 100 gm of GO cheese slices by an adult means

WHO (World Health Organization) Guidelines on Dietary Salt

Adults should consume less than 2 grams of sodium, or 5 grams of salt, per day, according to guidelines issued by the WHO. The main source of sodium in our diet is salt, although it can also come from sodium glutamate, used as a condiment in many parts of the world. A person with elevated sodium levels can be at risk of raised blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Unit Price

The unit price gives a fair idea about the cheapest and costliest brands.

Key Finding

• As per unit price, Amul (Rs 69 per 100 gm) is the cheapest brand. The costliest brand is Kraft (Rs 85 per 100 gm).

Sl No. Brand Maximum Retail Price (MRP) (Rs)

Declared Net Weight (gm)

Unit Price (price per 100 gm) (Rs)

1 Amul 69 100 69.002 Britannia 145 200 72.503 D’lecta 195 280 69.644 GO 72 100 72.005 Kraft 85 100 85.006 Mother Dairy 70 100 70.00

more than 50 per cent of his/her daily requirement of salt has been met.

Cheese Slices

22 •

Are these healthier, superior, etc., these cold-pressed vegetable and fruit juices, cold-pressed oil, cold-pressed seed powders and other things that claim to be cold-pressed? the thing is, these are relatively expensive too and it is but natural that someone consuming these will want to be sure that the claims and price are justified.

Fruit and vegetable juices are typically extracted by using heat, friction, speed and pressure from fast-spinning juicer blades. In effect, many nutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) are lost in the process

(from the heat). The same goes for traditionally extracted oil: heat is used to break down seeds and nuts to extract their oils.

As the name reflects, cold-press technique does not involve application of heat to process food items. Instead, hydraulic pressure is applied on the food items to prevent generation of heat. Thus, while fruit juices are usually prepared by using a centrifugal technique that involves production of heat, cold-pressed juices are prepared by applying hydraulic pressure.

Traditional juicer (centrifugal juicer) cuts the fruits and vegetables with a blade that spins at high speed against a strainer. The centrifugal force separates the juice from the pulp and forces it through the strainer. A lot of heat is produced in the process.

Cold-press juicing involves masticating juicers that use hydraulic power to chew and crush the juice out of fruits and vegetables.

The question then is: is application of heat bad for food products?

Some food products have nutrients that are very

Cold-Pressed Foodextracting the important details

Food & Stuff


Cold-Pressed Food

sensitive to heat. Any exposure to heat may disrupt the structure of the nutrients. During extraction of oilseeds, using cold-pressed technique is helpful in retaining the aroma, taste and nutritive value of the oil. Of course, application of heat impacts food items differently. For example, lycopene, which is a component present in tomatoes, benefits a person more if it is heated; on the other hand, the components in broccoli are destroyed when they are heated.

Application of heat impacts food items differently.

of a food product such as oil also leads to formation of free radicals. This is not good for health and can contribute to diseases such as cancer and diabetes as well as other degenerative conditions. Products that are prepared using the cold-press technique are less exposed to air and are therefore considered to be better.

Packaged versus Cold-Pressed Juice

Normal packaged juice (prepared via

centrifugal technique)

High heat is produced

Less juice (in quantity) is produced

Less retention in nutritional properties

of the product

Shorter life span

Less expensive

Cold-pressed juice Less heat is produced

More juice (in quantity) is produced

More retention in nutritional properties

of the product

Longer life span

More expensive

Less Exposure to Oxidation is Better

Exposure to oxygen is not good for food products such as oilseeds, oils, fruit juices and vegetable juices. It disrupts the structure of the nutrients therein. As the product is exposed to air, the nutrient breaks down into different structures. Not only this, oxidation

Is It Worth the Cost?

So, while you can have a normal tetra-pak juice of 200 ml for about Rs 20, you will have to shell out about Rs 150 for a 250 ml Raw Pressery cold-pressed juice in a plastic bottle. Similarly, 500 gm of roasted and grounded flaxseed powder will cost you about Rs 150, while 450 gm of cold-pressed flaxseed powder will be about Rs 375 (Health 1st Cold-Milled Flaxseed Powder). Apparently, the price difference is due to the quality of the cold-pressed food product.

Nevertheless, while cold-pressed products are better, you can definitely look for alternatives. For example, you can opt to have whole and fresh fruits instead of consuming packaged or cold-pressed juices.

24 •

– Compiled by Richa Pande

Food & Stuff

Tips for Consumers

Choose one-serving cold-pressed products over large ones.

Once you open the product, it will be exposed to oxygen and the nutritional quality may start to deteriorate. It is advisable to consume the product as soon as you can. Hence, prefer 250 ml cold-pressed juice bottles over the larger ones, 15 gm/30 gm flaxseed powder sachets, and so on.

Check the amounts of added sugar and total sugar on the juice bottles.

Although cold-pressed juices are healthier alternatives, it’s important to check the amount of sugar in it before you buy it. If the total sugar component is more than 6 gm/100 ml, then it is advisable to look for other alternatives.

Look at the ‘nutrient contents’ table and any specific handling instructions.

Cold-pressed oils are definitely healthier than most other oils. But they must be handled differently. Look for a specific instruction on handling on the pack of the product. For example, if the oil has high unsaturated fats, it is not advisable to heat it too much as it may compromise the nutritional quality of the product.

Store it well.

Some of these products are sensitive to light. It’s advisable to store them in a dark place, especially if they are packed in a transparent container.


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Product Survey

to be able to cook, fry, deep-fry and so on without the hassle of heat, smoke and fumes and without having to deal with the aftermath of cooking – the telltale grease and grime on the walls, tiles and ceiling – is what the kitchen chimney lets you do. It’s as good a kitchen fixture as any other and more and more of these are making their way into Indian kitchens. Within a relatively wide price band, a range of kitchen chimneys are available and one may choose one after determining the size, finish, suction capacity, etc., that best suit their needs. You want to start with the price? sure, but remember that there is a give and take there and it’s better to be aware of precisely what the trade-off is. the following guide will help you sort out the various parameters that you may want to assess and also does a quick comparison of brands on these parameters.

electric Kitchen Chimneystaking the smoke out of your cooking

28 •

Product Survey

Let’s get started with the feature that matters most, or should matter most anyway – the air-suction capacity. This is the key function that denotes the ability of the kitchen chimney to absorb smoke,

oil and odour. It is measured in cubic meter per hour (m3/hour). Choose a chimney based on the size of your kitchen. Ideally, the chimney should be able to recycle the air at least 10 times in an hour to be effective. Chimneys with a wide hose are much more effective at extracting air quickly.

An electric chimney or cooker hood is attached right above the cooking appliance (gas stove). When you turn the power on, the chimney sucks the air inside the kitchen. The air passes through the baffle or other mesh filters which absorb the heat and trap the grease particles, thereby removing fumes and odour. All very handy because Indian cooking in particular involves a lot of frying, grilling, oil and masalas.

For a standard family size and a standard kitchen, 60 cm size with suction capacity of 1,000–1,100 cubic metre per hour (m3/h) is an ideal model/choice.

Your Checklist

• Duct out or recycle?

Wherever possible, it’s best to duct out, which means that steam and odours are expelled outside. The ducted-out models also don’t require the charcoal filters that need to be changed every two to three months if the air is being recycled. Furthermore, while hoods used on recycling mode will help reduce cooking odours, they will not reduce steam or condensation as a ducted-out hood can.

• Suction power

Sucking smoke and grime is the primary job of the chimney. The chimney that sucks more air in shorter time is the better choice. It should have 800–1,000 m3/hour suction power.

• Chimney type

There are wall-mounted, built-in (can be placed in the centre of the kitchen), and corner chimneys.

• Filters

One of the most important parts of any chimney, the filter differentiates between heat and grime. If your chimney filter is not powerful, it can reduce suction power of the chimney and also create health issues for you.


Electric Kitchen Chimneys

Ducting and DuctlessDucting chimneys (extracting chimneys) suck the air and this air is then passed through filters and meshes. Filters absorb the grime and oils and the rest of the air is passed into the environment with the help of ducts commonly known as pipes or PVC outlets.

Ductless chimneys (reducing chimneys) use a motor and a fan or blower. The absorbed fume is passed through charcoal filters which absorb the heat, odour and smoke. This air is circulated in the kitchen again.

• Size

The size of the chimney should be equal to your gas stove. Common size of the chimney is 60–90 cm.

• Auto clean

The most difficult aspect of any chimney is the cleaning of the grime and oily residues. Indian kitchens have a lot of such residues. These oily particles can stick to the filters, thereby affecting the effective functioning of the chimney. There is a need to clean the chimney filters regularly. This requires the dismantling of the filters and cleaning them. Alternatively, you can opt for chimneys with an ‘auto clean’ feature that enables the automatic cleaning of the filters.

Price and allThe price of the standard electric chimneys varies between Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000, depending on size, finish, suction capacity and other features. Many companies constantly come up with excellent models with upgraded features, making it necessary to make a wise choice.

If on a lower budget, you can opt for a conventional chimney that uses aluminium mesh filters instead of baffle filters. The only problem is that these meshes need to be cleaned once every three to four days.

30 •

Count Your Benefits

• Odourless kitchen: Indian households use a lot of spices and oil while cooking which in turn emit a lot of fumes with odour. Installing a kitchen chimney will help you get rid of this odour.

• Maintains cleanliness: An efficient chimney not only absorbs the odour from the kitchen but also has the ability to take in the oil and vapour from the food being cooked due to the high suction power, giving you a dust-free and neat kitchen.

• Protects other kitchen appliances from fumes: Chimneys protect your other kitchen appliances, cabinets and walls from getting dirty with sticky fumes.

• Keeps kitchen air pollution in check: Since the chimney absorbs the fumes, it takes care of those with breathing problems in the house; they will not have to suffer due to these fumes and odour. Otherwise too, the fumes released during cooking may have serious health effects in the long run.

• Lets off steam: Cooking creates lots of steam and condensation. In the worst case, this can create mould in your kitchen. Your chimney will remove steam and condensation from the kitchen.

• Looks and style: A kitchen chimney can add to the overall look of your kitchen. Extractor designs have evolved in recent years and there are many styles to choose from now.

Take These Tips

1) Install the chimney at a proper height that will allow proper cleaning as well as effective smoke suction. Choose the right chimney based on your kitchen, type of food cooked, and maintenance required. Most chimneys come with built-in light sources at their bases, providing direct light on the burners.

2) Unlike an exhaust fan, a chimney can be fixed anywhere in a kitchen. Installed around 28–32 inches above the burners, the chimney ensures smells are eliminated from almost at their source.

3) Remember to turn on your hood before you start cooking and then leave it running on the lowest speed for a few extra minutes once you’ve finished. Many of the best cooker hoods are fitted with a useful timer function that can be set to switch the hood off five minutes after you’ve finished cooking.

4) Essential maintenance requires that the baffle filters be cleaned, say around once a month. You could do this yourself, but it’s best to arrange for it through an annual maintenance contract.

Product Survey


Source: Commercial websites and retailers

Note: Price may vary from retailer to retailer. Before buying please check detailed specification on the company’s website and compare the models.

Elica ESCG Nero Faber Tratto Plus BK LTW 60 Glen 6062

Hindware Nevio 60 Inalsa Brio 60BKBF Sunflame Innova 90

Comparison at a Glance: Of Leading Brands of Electric Kitchen Chimneys

Brand Model Size (cm)

Suction Power (m3/h)

Type of Filter Price (Rs)

Warrantee

Hindware Nevio 60 60 1,200 Stainless-steel baffle filter 11,599 1 + 5 Hindware Cleo 90 90 1,200 Stainless-steel baffle filter 13,999 1 + 5 Hindware Nevio BLK 60 60 1,200 Stainless-steel baffle filter 11,990 1 + 5 Hindware Revio 60 60 1,200 Stainless-steel baffle filter 11,990 1 + 5

Faber TrattoPlusBKLTW60

60 1,000 Triple-layerbafflefilter 12,990 1 + 5

Faber Fabio BK TC 60 1,150 Cassettefilter 1 + 5Elica ESCGBF60Nero 60 1,100 Baffle filter 8,888 1 + 5Elica SpotLTW60Slim

TC3VPowerPlus60 1,220 Baffle filter 15,290 1 + 5

KAFF KA44 60 1,000 7,590 2 + lifeinalsa Brio60BKBF 60 950 Baffle filter 6,590 2 + 7GLEN 6075SSBFLTW 60 1,000 Baffle filter 7,665 1 + 7KAFF KA39 60 1,080 10,990 2 + life

Sunflame Innova90 90 1,100 Baffle+charcoal 13,699 2Prestige AKH750 75 750 Metal grease filter 20,650 10GLEN 6062 60 1,250/1,000 Baffle filter 9,995

Sunflame Venza 60 60 1,100 Bafflefilter 9,900 1 + 5

Electric Kitchen Chimneys

32 •

Are payment banks different from the regular banks? Who are their primary target customers? Remember that these banks were conceptualized by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as ‘differentiated banks to serve niche interests’, the niche here being farmers, migrant labourers, low-income households, small businesses and the unorganized sector. these banks were to offer savings accounts and remittance services with a low transaction cost. the hope also was that the poorer citizens (who transacted only in cash) would be encouraged and enabled to take their first step into formal banking. the following report assesses the service-charge component by comparing five payment banks on basic parameters. this will also give us a clear picture of the basic banking services that these banks provide.

subas tiwari & Gopal Ravi Kumar

service Charges by Payment Banks How differentiated are these?

In the NewsBFSI

For our comparative study on the charges they levy for various services, we have chosen five payment banks that provide detailed information on their websites. We have

chosen these banks based on product offer (gathered from their websites and brochures) and services rendered (feedback from consumers).

The parameters on which we have compared


In the NewsService Charges by Payment Banks

CV RECOMMENDATIONS

Best Buy

India Post (Sugam Account)

Good Buy

Paytm

Fair Buy

Fino (Pratham Savings)

them include account-opening fee, minimum first (initial) cash deposit, cash deposit/load cash fee, cash-withdrawal fee, maximum cash withdrawal limit, fund-transfer fee, monthly average balance, charges for non-maintenance of monthly average balance (MAB), savings bank (SB) interest per annum, debit card issuance fee and replacement fee, PIN generation/change charge, maximum NEFT and IMPS allowed, charges for SMS alerts, physical statements fee, cheque-return charge, and charges for account closure within six months. We gave the highest weightage (15 points) to consumer feedback, which also helped in determining the most important and beneficial variables. These variables have a direct bearing on the product structure.

34 •

Notes:

a) NS: Not specified

b) Information given here has been sourced from websites and brochures.

SERVICE CHARGES BY PAYMENT BANKS: A COMPARATIVE CHART

CV Weightage Points (100)

Service India Post (Sugam

Account)Paytm


Airtel Aditya Birla

3 Account-opening fee NS (0) NS (0) NS (0) Free (3) Free (3)

2 Cash deposit/Load cash fee NS (0) Free (2) NS (0) Free (2) NS (0)

10 Cash-withdrawal fee (%) NS (0) 20 per transaction (10) 0.50 (7) 0.65 (4) 0.85 (1)

3 Fund-transfer fee (%) NS (0) NS (0) NS (0) 1.00 (3) 2.50 (1)

7 Minimum first (initial) cash deposit (Rs.) Nil (7) NS (0) 1000 (1) 100 (5) 500 (3)

2 Maximum cash withdrawal limit (pm) NS (0) NS (0) 25,000 (2) 25,000 (2) 25,000 (2)

3 Maximum NEFT (Rs) 100,000 (1) No limit (3) NS (0) 100,000 (1) NS (0)

3 Maximum IMPS (Rs) 100,000 (1) No limit (3) NS (0) 100,000 (1) 200,000 (2)

10 SB interest per annum (%) 5.50 (10) 4.00 (5) 4.00 (5) 5.50 (10) 4.00 (5)

3 Free personal accident cover (Rs, in lakh) NS (0) NS (0) 1.00 (3) 1.00 (3) NS (0)

2 Monthly average balance (Rs) Nil (2) Nil (2) 1000 (1) NS (0) Nil (2)

7 Non-maintenance of MAB (Rs) Nil (7) Nil (7) 50 (3) NS (0) Nil (7)

7 Debit card issuance fee (Rs) Free (7) 125 (2) 149 (1) NS (0) 75 (4)

3 Debit card replacement fee (Rs) 100 (2) 125 (1) 149 (1) NS (0) 75 (3)

4 PIN generation/change charge (Rs) 50 (1) 8 (2) 10 (2) NS (0) Nil (4)

6 Physical statements fee (Rs) Free (6) 8 (4) 10 (4) NS (0) 50 (1)

3 SMS alerts (Rs, per month) Free (3) Free (3) 5 (1) NS (0) NS (0)

3 Cheque-return charge (Rs) NS (0) NS (0) 250 (3) NS (0) NS (0)

4 Account closure within 6 months (Rs) 250 (4) NS (0) 250 (4) NS (0) NS (0)

15 Consumer feedback 12 11 8 10 4

Total 100 63 55 46 44 42

In the NewsBFSI


SERVICE CHARGES BY PAYMENT BANKS: A COMPARATIVE CHART

CV Weightage Points (100)

Service India Post (Sugam

Account)Paytm


Airtel Aditya Birla

3 Account-opening fee NS (0) NS (0) NS (0) Free (3) Free (3)

2 Cash deposit/Load cash fee NS (0) Free (2) NS (0) Free (2) NS (0)

10 Cash-withdrawal fee (%) NS (0) 20 per transaction (10) 0.50 (7) 0.65 (4) 0.85 (1)

3 Fund-transfer fee (%) NS (0) NS (0) NS (0) 1.00 (3) 2.50 (1)

7 Minimum first (initial) cash deposit (Rs.) Nil (7) NS (0) 1000 (1) 100 (5) 500 (3)

2 Maximum cash withdrawal limit (pm) NS (0) NS (0) 25,000 (2) 25,000 (2) 25,000 (2)

3 Maximum NEFT (Rs) 100,000 (1) No limit (3) NS (0) 100,000 (1) NS (0)

3 Maximum IMPS (Rs) 100,000 (1) No limit (3) NS (0) 100,000 (1) 200,000 (2)

10 SB interest per annum (%) 5.50 (10) 4.00 (5) 4.00 (5) 5.50 (10) 4.00 (5)

3 Free personal accident cover (Rs, in lakh) NS (0) NS (0) 1.00 (3) 1.00 (3) NS (0)

2 Monthly average balance (Rs) Nil (2) Nil (2) 1000 (1) NS (0) Nil (2)

7 Non-maintenance of MAB (Rs) Nil (7) Nil (7) 50 (3) NS (0) Nil (7)

7 Debit card issuance fee (Rs) Free (7) 125 (2) 149 (1) NS (0) 75 (4)

3 Debit card replacement fee (Rs) 100 (2) 125 (1) 149 (1) NS (0) 75 (3)

4 PIN generation/change charge (Rs) 50 (1) 8 (2) 10 (2) NS (0) Nil (4)

6 Physical statements fee (Rs) Free (6) 8 (4) 10 (4) NS (0) 50 (1)

3 SMS alerts (Rs, per month) Free (3) Free (3) 5 (1) NS (0) NS (0)

3 Cheque-return charge (Rs) NS (0) NS (0) 250 (3) NS (0) NS (0)

4 Account closure within 6 months (Rs) 250 (4) NS (0) 250 (4) NS (0) NS (0)

15 Consumer feedback 12 11 8 10 4

Total 100 63 55 46 44 42

c) Charges for services described differently in nomenclature are grouped under major heads.

d) Minimal charges are taken for individual SB accounts in banks based in metros.

e) In many banks, GST is included/excluded in the service charges and is therefore not specified here.


36 •

Certainly payment banks have the potential to play an important part in bringing untouched rural areas under the banking system. They perform almost all standard banking operations – they accept demand deposits (up to Rs 1 lakh), offer remittance services, mobile payments/transfers/purchases and other banking services like ATM/debit cards, net banking and third-party fund transfers. Of course they function on a rather smaller business scale compared with other banks and also do not have the mandate to extend loans.

How things pan out will depend on how well payment banks meet the challenges that are now coming to the fore.

• A lot will depend upon the volume of business. However, customer acquisition is not going to be a cakewalk since even other normal banks are vying for the same lot. So, yes, the competition is getting tougher.

A payment bank may be defined as a ‘non-full-service niche bank’. It can only open demand deposits (current and savings deposit accounts) and provide remittances. It is expected to reach customers mainly through their mobile phones rather than traditional bank branches.

• Depending on volume also means that the model should focus on being cost-effective and

technology-enabled. The customer acquisition and servicing cost structures of payments banks may not follow those of a traditional bank.

• The offering is very niche and does not cover the whole gamut of banking services. An accountholder at a payment bank may still need to go to another full-service bank to meet some of their banking needs.

• The new KYC norms for payment banks are stringent – they have to now get their customers’ information verified by third parties. RBI had earlier accepted Aadhaar-based eKYC as a means for customer authentication at the time of opening accounts.

• The old norms also allowed KYC done for mobile connections to be extended to opening bank accounts. This allowed telecom operators with payment bank licenses to provide bank accounts to all of their existing customers with minimum effort and no extra cost. Payment banks may not have the same level of manpower to collect paper-based KYC as traditional banks.

• The maximum cap for holding one’s money in a payment bank needs to be enhanced to at least Rs 500,000 to enable traders and small businesses as well as salaried/self-employed individuals to utilize the banking services to the optimum.

• The deposit insurance cover, which is at present capped at Rs 100,000 per depositor, also needs to be suitably enhanced to provide additional insurance cover and enhance the credibility factor.

In the NewsBFSI


What They Are Allowed to Do Within These Limitations

• They can accept cash and effect cash payments to customers.

• They can accept demand deposits – that is, current deposits and savings bank deposits.

•They can extend debit card facility.

• They can effect money transactions on electronic platforms such as ECS, NEFT and RTGS.

• They can undertake utility-bill payments on behalf of customers and the general public.

•They can act as business correspondents (BCs) of another bank/entity subject to RBI norms on such activity.

• They can open their branches and ATMs, and offer internet banking and other non-risk-sharing simple financial services activities not requiring any commitment of their own funds (such as distribution of mutual funds, units, insurance products, pension products, etc.) ,subject to prior approval of the RBI and after complying with the requirements of the sectoral regulators for such products.

• Presently, cash transaction is limited to Rs 100,000 per customer. (Payment banks will initially be restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs 100,000 per individual customer, as per RBI press release dated 27.11.2014.)

• Payment banks are not authorised to open recurring deposits and fixed deposits (time deposits).

•They cannot issue credit cards.

•They cannot undertake any lending activity.

•No NRI deposits should be accepted.


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In the NewsBFSI

In 2013, in its policy discussion paper on Banking Structure in India – The Way Forward, Reserve Bank of India enunciated that there was a need for niche banking in India, and differentiated licensing could be a desirable step in this direction, particularly for infrastructure financing, wholesale banking and retail banking.

In response to RBI’s call for applications for payment bank licenses, 41 entities had applied. On 19 August 2015, RBI gave in-principle licenses to 11 of them to launch payments banks: 1) Aditya Birla Nuvo, 2) Airtel M Commerce Services, 3) Cholamandalam Distribution Services, 4) Department of Posts, 5) Fino PayTech, 6) National Securities Depository, 7) Reliance Industries, 8) Dilip Shanghvi (founder of Sun Pharmaceuticals), 9) Vijay Shekhar Sharma (CEO of Paytm), 10) Tech Mahindra, and 11) Vodafone M-Pesa.

Within a period of 18 months starting 19 August 2015, they were expected to comply with the conditions regarding paid-up equity capital (minimum Rs 100 crore) and the promoter’s minimum initial contribution to the paid-up equity capital (shall be at least 40 per cent for the first five years from the commencement of business). Additionally, 26 per cent of the paid-up capital will be held at all times by resident Indians. NRIs’ holding can be allowed up to 24 per cent of the total paid up capital. The operations of the bank should be fully networked and technology-driven, conforming to generally accepted standards and norms. Last but not the least, a customer grievances cell must be in place. Only after conforming to these requirements could the aforementioned entities become eligible to approach RBI to obtain a regular license/approval for commencement of banking business.

Out of the chosen 11, 3 entities reportedly surrendered their in-principle license. There is no information on the RBI website regarding the ‘fate’ of three other entities, thereby leaving only five players in the field (refer to the Product Comparison Chart).


this scheme aims to cover over 10 crore poor and deprived rural families as well as families of identified occupational categories of urban workers (as per the latest socio-economic Caste Census, or seCC, data) for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. this can have a real transformative effect if implemented effectively and, equally importantly, if the target population is made aware of the scheme. We all are aware of the economic consequences of poor health and a scheme such as this one can go a long way in achieving the goal of a nation of healthy, happy, productive and prosperous people.

In healthcare access and delivery Will Ayushman Bharat Be the turning Point?

As on date, the government claims to have identified 80 per cent of the beneficiaries in rural areas and 60 per cent in urban regions who will receive these benefits. So, exactly who all are

eligible?

Those whose names are on the list of deprived

rural families and families of occupational categories of urban workers as per SECC data are eligible to receive the benefits of the scheme. Their details have been shared with the respective state governments as well as auxiliary nurses and midwives (ANMs)/block medical officers (BMOs)/block development officers (BDOs).

In the NewsBFSI Guide

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In the NewsBFSI Guide

All family members are covered under the scheme. It may be noted that apart from those already identified, no additional/new families can be added during this phase. However, names of additional members (spouses/newborns) can be added for those families whose names are already on the SECC data.

Ayushman Bharat will subsume the ongoing centrally sponsored schemes Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and Senior Citizen Insurance Scheme (SCHIS).

What Does It Offer?

Under Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Scheme, the government is setting up or converting some 150,000 sub-centres in the country into so-called ‘health and wellness’ centres that will provide comprehensive primary healthcare to the target beneficiaries who otherwise cannot afford medical treatment due to the costly medicines and investigations. At these centres they will have access to free diagnostic services and essential drugs. The services will cover maternal and child health, mental health, vaccinations against selected communicable diseases, and screening for hypertension, diabetes and some cancers, among others.

Secondary Hospitalization CareSecondary healthcare refers to a second tier of health system in which patients from primary healthcare are referred to specialists in higher hospitals for treatment. Centres for secondary healthcare include district hospitals and community health centres at block level.

Tertiary Hospitalization CareThis refers to a third level of health system in which specialized consultative care is provided, usually on referral from primary & secondary healthcare. Specialized intensive care units (ICUs), advanced diagnostic support services and specialized medical personnel are the key features of tertiary healthcare. In India, tertiary care service under public health system is provided by medical colleges and advanced medical research institutes.

These are the main features of the scheme:

• All eligible beneficiaries can avail free services for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation care for identified packages (1,350 medical packages) covering surgery, medical and day-care treatments, cost of medicines and diagnostics.

Does one need to apply/register?No. This is an entitlement-based mission. There is no enrolment process. Identified families will be automatically covered for the benefits. Beneficiaries will have cashless and paperless (online) access to health services under the scheme.

Is there an upper limit for age to be a beneficiary?There is no cap on family size and age. This is to ensure that all family members (specifically girl children and senior citizens) will get coverage.

Is Aadhaar necessary?Aadhaar card information is ‘preferable’ but not ‘mandatory’.

Is there a provision for issue of policy/smart card?The central government will print and hand-deliver the respective family cards through a major public contact programme, under which Ayushman Pakwaras will be organized in villages. The cards will carry the names of all those who are eligible to receive the benefits of the scheme and details of where they need to go to receive the services.


• All pre-existing health conditions are covered from Day 1 of the implementation of the scheme in respective states/union territories.

• Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country. A beneficiary covered under the scheme will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public/private empanelled hospital across the country.

• Insurance cover of up to Rs 500,000 will be given per year per family.

• The yearly premium for the insurance will be shared between the central and state/UT government on a specified ratio.

Of Letters and Call Centres

The service provider will print information letters upon getting the beneficiary information from National Health Agency (NHA), sort these into bundles by area code, and deliver the lot to the district headquarters of the beneficiary. The information letters will then be sent to gram panchayats and distributed to the families at Ayushman Pakwaras organized in the villages or door to door by health workers.

Portal/Website/Helpline numberwww.abnhpm.gov.in, www.india.gov.in14555

The central government plans to set up a 24 x 7 call centre in Delhi to attend to complaints and queries from citizens. Zonal call centres are in the pipeline too.

The call centre, accessible by a national toll-free number, will help beneficiaries and other stakeholders have seamless and timely access to information and services. It will help beneficiaries with information/suggestions about the hospital they should approach for a particular ailment as well as the nearest hospital in the area of their residence. It will also enable them to register their suggestions and complaints.

In the NewsAyushman Bharat

BFSI Guide

Readers are aware that the Consumer Voice BFSI Desk has been bringing out articles on banking, financial services and insurance matters every month. We are now extending this domain to cover advice, guidance and assistance to consumers on financial matters.

You may approach us with any financial grievance that you have or if you need advice on investment options/financial planning.

We have put up a dedicated landline for easy access to us (011-47331004; ask for Subas Tiwari at BFSI Desk). You may also email us at [email protected]

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Real Estate Matters

In recent years, multiple laws have been enacted to consolidate the various sectors and functioning of the country’s economy. examples include Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, Real estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, and Goods and services tax Act, 2017. Quite inevitably, some provisions of the different laws are not in sync and may create a situation of conflict.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and the Real estate Act

Do these contradict each other?

Consider Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, or RERA. Both enacted in 2016, these appear to be overlapping when it comes

to resolving the interests of homebuyers. Both IBC and RERA have provisions where the probability for conflict in their operations is very high. IBC allows companies to file insolvency proceedings so that

they can provide relief to the debtors or creditors. On the other hand, RERA was implemented with the sole motive of getting justice for aggrieved homebuyers and penalizing builders or developers if the project is delayed. Undoubtedly, some questions remain unanswered, such as whether these two laws contradict each other and in case of the developer defaulting, whether the homebuyer should approach RERA or IBC.

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Real Estate Matters

purpose of RERA is to align with the provisions of the Insolvency Act.

While there is potential conflict between the IBC and RERA provisions, it cannot be denied that the implementation of RERA is the need of the hour as it will restore the faith of homebuyers and in the long run it will help the real estate market become organised and stable. At the same time, the IBC provisions are equally important to secure the interests of creditors. The central government should address the matter in such a way that the interests of creditors as well as homebuyers are protected.

Consumer Voice’s adviceBuilders should maintain a fixed-deposit account for the money collected from homebuyers so it can be used for that particular project. By doing so, the company will not go insolvent and this will also lessen the scope for conflict between IBC and RERA.

If we compare the provisions of these two Acts, the scope for confusion is all the more since both RERA and IBC claims prevalence over the other. Section 238 of IBC states that in case of inconsistencies between any law and IBC, the latter will prevail. Similarly, Section 89 of RERA provides that in case of inconsistencies between any law and RERA, RERA will prevail.

Lately, in the Amrapali case, the Supreme Court held that financial creditors cannot take over homes belonging to homebuyers. In other words, the Supreme Court upheld the rights of homebuyers ahead of the creditors. This amply shows the fundamental contradiction between IBC and RERA – while one tries to give primacy to the creditors, the other tries to put consumers before creditors.

The fundamental contradiction between these two may drag cases to judicial and legal forums. In light of the recent legislation of Bankruptcy Act, RERA may not create separate provisions to deal with bankruptcy. The best way to stay true to the


Real Estate Matters

In a recent pronouncement, the Bombay High Court has held that the provisions of Real estate (Regulation and Development) Act will apply in case of agreements styled as ‘agreement of lease’ when the lease period is long and when the ‘lessee’ has paid a substantial amount as consideration.

Is ReRA Applicable to Lease Agreements?Yes, if they are long-term

A single bench of Justice Shalini Phansalkar Joshi passed the ruling while hearing appeals filed by Lavasa Corporation, which was developing a township project near Pune registered

under Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). The bench dismissed second appeals filed against orders passed by the Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal, which had held that though the ‘agreements’ between the parties are titled as ‘lease agreements’, in effect they are agreements of absolute sale and therefore the provisions of RERA will be applicable.

The appeals were filed by Lavasa Corporation,

challenging the orders passed by Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal holding that the regulatory authority’s provisions were applicable to the three persons who had taken apartments in Lavasa through agreements of lease. The contention was challenged by Lavasa Corporation through appeals in the High Court of Bombay. The company in its appeals claimed that provisions of RERA would not apply in cases of agreement of lease and that the definition of promoter under the regulatory authority would not include lessor. Lavasa argued in the High Court that the relationship between the company and the persons was that of lessor and lessee and that there was absolutely no sale or transfer of title of the apartments.

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Real Estate Matters

The court, while rejecting the arguments put forward by Lavasa Corporation, held that since Lavasa was a project registered under RERA, the Act’s provisions would apply to it and hence RERA had the jurisdiction to hear and decide complaints of people seeking compensation for delay in possession of three flats in the Lavasa township booked on a 999-year ‘agreement to lease’ for which 80 per cent of ‘purchase price’ had been paid. It added that the adjudication officer under MahaRERA, the state’s real estate regulatory authority, could decide upon complaints for compensation for a delay of six to seven years in getting possession of apartments.

Justice Phansalkar Joshi said that the legislative intent could never have been to exclude long-term lease as it would defeat the purpose of the law, with developers executing agreements of lease and conveniently escaping the clutches of the Act’s provisions. “Merely because the legislation excluded allotment, when given on rent, it does not exclude long-term lease. That would be defeating and frustrating the objective of the Act,” the judgement underlined.

Observing that the intention was only to exclude

rent because lessees in those cases would not have invested substantial amounts like the purchase price, the court added that one could not exclude persons who had paid 80 per cent of an apartment’s purchase price, and also that a 999-year lease agreement was as good as sale of the apartment. It further said that the three persons in this particular case could avail remedy provided under Section 18 of the Act, seeking compensation. “Depriving them of the remedy available under Section 18 of the Act is as good as allowing the unjust enrichment on part of the appellant (Lavasa),” the order stated.

As reiterated by the court, the objective of RERA is to protect consumers, the persons who invest their hard-earned money by entering into an ‘agreement’, which is in the nature of purchase of the apartment itself. Mere nomenclature of the document as ‘agreement of lease’ will not in any way take away the rights given to them by the statute. Further, the main purpose of RERA is to ensure accountability on the part of the real estate sector and to provide a comprehensive, effective and speedy remedy to persons who have invested large sums of money to have a house of their own.

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