Highlights
Consumer Protection Initiatives Launched by Minister Pralhad Joshi
On Tuesday, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi introduced several initiatives aimed at enhancing consumer protection. These initiatives include an artificial intelligence-enabled helpline and innovative tools designed to identify misleading marketing practices. In a show of support, major e-commerce platforms have committed to improving safety measures for online shoppers.
Prominent companies such as Reliance Retail, Tata Sons, and Zomato have adopted a safety pledge alongside the government’s new consumer protection measures, which feature:
- AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline
- e-Maap portal
- Jago Grahak Jago mobile application
Joshi noted, “Significant progress has been made in expediting resolutions of consumer disputes,” during the National Consumer Day event. Participating online, he pointed out that from January to November of this year, the National Commission received 3,628 complaints, and a total of 6,587 cases were resolved across the three-tier consumer court system at the district, state, and national levels.
Enhanced Adoption of e-Daakhil Portal
The government’s e-Daakhil Portal, which was launched in 2020 and extends nationwide since June 2023, has reached 100% adoption for online complaint submissions in states including Karnataka, Punjab, and Rajasthan, along with various districts.
Addressing concerns regarding the expanding e-commerce sector, Joshi remarked, “While this digital revolution presents vast opportunities, it is essential that our consumers feel secure and capable of making informed choices.”
New Guidelines and Compliance Issues
The Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is currently developing fresh guidelines to manage surrogate advertising. Furthermore, the CCPA has issued notices to 13 companies for failing to adhere to existing regulations, as stated by the minister.
Other notable attendees at the event included Minister of State for Consumer Affairs B L Verma, Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Anil Kumar Lahoti, All India Council for Technical Education Chairman T G Sitharam, and Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare.