Lok Sabha Question No. 1105 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-08
Subject: Complaints by Consumer Redressal Forum
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Chandeshwar Prasad

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1105

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2023

## COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMER REDRESSAL FORUM

## 1105.  SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk  ekeys]  [kk|  vkSj  lkoZtfud  forj.k ea=h be  pleased  to state:

- (a) the  average  number  of  complaints  received  by  the  Consumer  Redressal  Forum  related  to  the consumer grievances during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (b) the average number of such complaints disposed off by the Consumer Redressal Forum during the said period;
- (c) the average time taken by the Consumer Redressal Forum in disposing of each of such complaints during the said period;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  suggestions/held  consultations  with  various  quarters  to improve  the  functioning  of  Consumer  Redressal  Forum  during  the  said  period,  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) the  other  corrective  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  the  functioning  of Consumer Redressal Forum across the country?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ( lk/oh fujatu T;ksfr )

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) to (c) : Details of cases filed during last three years and current years as on 03.02.2023 is as follows:

|   Year |   Cases filed during the year |   Cases disposed during the year |
|--------|-------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|   2020 |                        116802 |                            57090 |
|   2021 |                        145856 |                            96936 |
|   2022 |                        169979 |                           177979 |
|   2023 |                         13704 |                            14404 |

Section 38(7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 prescribes that every complaint shall be disposed of as expeditiously as possible and endeavour shall be made to decide the complaint within a period of three months from the date of receipt of notice by opposite party where the complaint does not require analysis or testing of commodities and within five months if it requires analysis or testing of commodities.

(d) &  (e)  :  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  regularly  interacts  with  stakeholders  including  State Governments,  Industry  Associations,  Consumer  Organisations,  Consumer  Law  experts  through  meetings, conferences  etc.  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  also  organises  panel  discussions  during  National Consumer Day and World Consumer Rights Day to discuss consumer related issues. Suggestions received through these interactions are implemented by the Central Government to the extent possible.

The e-Daakhil portal has been launched in 34 States/UTs to provide facility to aggrieved consumers to  register  online  consumer  complaints  in  different  Consumer  Commissions  from  anywhere  in  India.  It allows  consumers  to  pay  the  complaints  fees  online,  upload  case  documents  and  track  the  process.  The purpose is to provide timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer disputes.

National Legal Service Authority holds National Lok Adalat on regular basis where consumer cases are  also  taken  up.  The  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  along  with  National  Legal  Service  Authority participated in the National Lok Adalat held on 12th November, 2022, in which 5930 cases were settled on a single day, out of 19,497 cases listed for settlement.

A  special  drive,  namely,  'Grahak  Madhyastata  Samadhan'  was  held  on  16.12.2022  at  consumer commissions across the nation, wherein, the Consumer Commissions independently disposed of the cases through mutual settlement by conducting pre-counseling sessions.

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