Public awareness of money-lending, laundering laws limited in Nagaland

NSLSA awareness drive in Kohima focuses on liquor prohibition, consumer protection, money-lending and money-laundering laws

Kohima, October 7 (MExN): Public awareness of laws governing money lending and prevention of money laundering remains limited in Nagaland, NSLSA Member Secretary Neiko Akami, has stated. 

Addressing the Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs) of Kohima Law College during a legal awareness drive in Kohima on October 7, he highlighted the practice of charging high interest rates on loans emerging as a major concern prevailing in the state.  

There is a need for greater awareness of the legal framework governing such transactions, he underscored. 

The awareness drive, conducted under the aegis of Nagaland State Legal Service Authority (NSLSA), focused on four laws: the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989; Consumer Protection Act, 2019; Nagaland Money Lenders Act, 2005; and Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. Legal literature pamphlets were distributed to the public in Kohima during the drive. 

Meanwhile, on consumer protection, Akami said awareness of consumer rights also remained inadequate despite legal safeguards. He stressed the need for consumers to know their rights and the remedies available in cases involving unfair trade practices, defective goods or deficient services.

He also highlighted the importance of awareness of the prohibition act amid continuing concerns surrounding liquor-related issues in the State.

Wider public understanding of the provisions of the Act was important in the larger interest of society, he added. 

As per an NSLSA release, the legal literature distributed during the drive was prepared in an easy-to-understand format to help the public access basic information on the laws and understand their rights and responsibilities.

More than 20 PLVs participated in the drive, with around 600 beneficiaries recorded, it added.