Lok Sabha Question No. 2197 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Expansion of NCH
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Haribhai Patel

## Government of India

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2197

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025

## EXPANSION OF NCH

## 2197. SHRI HARIBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the sectors and types of companies that have become convergence partners of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) as of January 2025;
- (b) the State-wise data of grievances reported, resolved and pending through the NCH particularly in Gujarat over the last two years;
- (c) the  measures  adopted  to  ensure  accountability  and  timely  resolution  of  consumer  complaints  by  these convergence partners;
- (d) whether the Government has any plans to expand the NCH to accommodate more companies or sectors and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  raise  consumer  awareness  about  the  NCH  and  its  convergence partners?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L. VERMA)

(a) to (e) : The Department has revamped, the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which has emerged as a single point of access to consumers across the country for grievance redressal at the pre-litigation stage. The helpline is available in 17 languages, including Hindi, English, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Nepali, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Maithili, Santhali, Bengali, Odia, Assamese, and Manipuri, allowing  consumers  from  all  regions  to  register  their  grievances  via  the  toll-free  number  1915.  These grievances  can  be  submitted  via  the  Integrated  Grievance  Redressal  Mechanism  (INGRAM),  an  omnichannel, IT-enabled central portal, through various channels: WhatsApp (8800001915),  SMS (8800001915), email (nch-ca@gov.in), the NCH app, the web portal (consumerhelpline.gov.in), and the UMANG app, offering convenience and flexibility to consumers.

The helpline operates in a dedicated manner from 8 AM to 8 PM on all seven days of the week, except on national holidays. To enhance accessibility further, a call-back facility is available. An exclusive call center has been established to ensure prompt service.

NCH proactively partners with companies who want to join the programme on a voluntary basis to offer efficient consumer complaint resolution.  This initiative gives the company an opportunity for better corporate governance and social responsibility by redressing consumer disputes at pre-litigation stage. The number of convergence partners has steadily increased from 263 companies in 2017 to 1049 companies till  now spanning across the sectors such as  E-commerce, Banking, General Insurance, Life Insurance, NBFCs,  Travel  &  Tourism,  Food,  Consumer  Durables,  Electronics  Products,  Broadband  &  Internet, Direct Selling, Retail Outlets, Digital Payment Modes, Agency Services  and Others.

The technological transformation of the NCH has significantly boosted its call-handling capacity. The number  of  calls  received  by  NCH  has  grown  more  than  tenfold,  from  12,553  in  December  2015  to 1,55,138 in December 2024. This exponential growth reflects the rising confidence of consumers in the helpline. Similarly, the average number of complaints registered per month has surged  from 37,062 in 2017 to 1,11,951 in 2024. Additionally, grievance registration via WhatsApp has gained momentum, with the  percentage  of  complaints  filed  through  the  platform  increasing  from  3%  in  March  2023  to  18%  in December 2024, demonstrating a growing preference for digital communication channels.

In  a  significant  move to  further  enhance  grievance redressal, NCH has introduced AI-based Speech Recognition, a Translation System, and an AI enabled Chatbot as part of the NCH 2.0 initiative. These technological  advancements  aim  to  make  the  grievance  filing  process  more  seamless,  efficient,  and inclusive.  The  AI-powered  Speech  Recognition  and  Translation  System  enables  consumers  to  file complaints through voice input, reducing manual intervention. The AI enabled Chatbot provides real-time assistance, streamlining complaint-handling processes, and improving the overall user experience. These upgrades ensure that consumers from diverse linguistic backgrounds have equal access to the grievance redressal system.

The website of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has also been upgraded to serve as the central point  of  access  for  consumers  across  India  seeking  grievance  redressal  at  the  pre-litigation  stage.  This website  includes  enhanced  functionality,  modern  features,  and  improved  navigation  with  a  user-centric design.  It  incorporates  advanced  features,  offering  faster  grievance  resolution  and  a  more  efficient  user experience.

The  state-wise  data  of  grievances  received,  disposed,  and  at  the  appraisal  stage  through  the  NCH, particularly in Gujarat, over the last two years, is placed at the Annexure .

The Department regularly monitors grievance data and identifies non-convergence companies. NCH partners with companies who have a proactive approach to efficient consumer complaint resolution, and want to join the programme on a voluntary basis.  It shares with them the data of the complainants along with the complaints received at NCH related to their company, to facilitate free, fair and fast redressal through participative cooperation providing win-win situation for both consumers and  companies.

In  this  endeavour,  NCH  ensures  accountability  and  timely  resolution  of  consumer  complaints  by forwarding  grievances  to  the  convergence  partners  on  a  real-time  basis.  Once  these  companies  are onboarded  as  convergence  partners,  they  are  required  to  prioritize  the  swift  and  effective  resolution  of complaints in collaboration with the NCH. This partnership helps to  ensure better accountability and a quicker redressal of consumer complaints, ultimately benefiting consumers across the country.  NCH has also simplified the process of registering the companies as convergence partners making it online, hasslefree and transparent.

The  Department  is  implementing  an  exclusive  scheme  namely  'Consumer  Awareness'  to  generate consumer  awareness  and  empower  the  consumers  under  the  aegis  of  'Jago  Grahak  Jago'  campaign through various media including electronic, outdoor and social media. The Department, in 2022-23, has launched  'Jagriti',  a  mascot  for  empowering  consumers  and  generating  awareness  of  their  rights.  The Department  participates  in  prominent  fairs/festivals/events  where  a  large  number  of  people  may congregate. The Department also provides grant-in-aid to various States/UTs for generating awareness at local level.

*****

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NUMBER NO.2197 FOR ANSWER ON 12.03.2025 REGARDING 'EXPANSION OF NCH'.

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## Details of grievances registered on the National Consumer Helpline

| S.   | State               | FY 2022-23   | FY 2022-23   | FY 2022-23   | FY 2023-24   | FY 2023-24   | FY 2023-24   |
|------|---------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
| No . | State               | Received     | Disposed     | Pending      | Received     | Disposed     | Pending      |
| 1    | Andaman Nicobar     | 698          | 698          | 0            | 936          | 936          | 0            |
| 2    | Andhra Pradesh      | 31967        | 31967        | 0            | 41113        | 41113        | 0            |
| 3    | Arunachal Pradesh   | 1603         | 1603         | 0            | 3734         | 3734         | 0            |
| 4    | Assam               | 10849        | 10849        | 0            | 13808        | 13808        | 0            |
| 5    | Bihar               | 60270        | 60270        | 0            | 70069        | 70069        | 0            |
| 6    | Chandigarh          | 3677         | 3677         | 0            | 3700         | 3700         | 0            |
| 7    | Chhattisgarh        | 10870        | 10870        | 0            | 13734        | 13734        | 0            |
| 8    | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 253          | 253          | 0            | 389          | 389          | 0            |
| 9    | Daman &Diu          | 203          | 203          | 0            | 293          | 293          | 0            |
| 10   | Delhi               | 85672        | 85672        | 0            | 96709        | 96709        | 0            |
| 11   | Goa                 | 2284         | 2284         | 0            | 3161         | 3161         | 0            |
| 12   | Gujarat             | 48391        | 48391        | 0            | 63997        | 63997        | 0            |
| 13   | Haryana             | 47737        | 47737        | 0            | 54056        | 54056        | 0            |
| 14   | Himachal Pradesh    | 5250         | 5250         | 0            | 6658         | 6658         | 0            |
| 15   | Jammu &Kashmir      | 6979         | 6979         | 0            | 8443         | 8443         | 0            |
| 16   | Jharkhand           | 18159        | 18159        | 0            | 21061        | 21061        | 0            |
| 17   | Karnataka           | 60032        | 60032        | 0            | 76867        | 76867        | 0            |
| 18   | Kerala              | 21128        | 21128        | 0            | 33635        | 33635        | 0            |
| 19   | Ladakh              | 126          | 126          | 0            | 145          | 145          | 0            |
| 20   | Lakshadweep         | 25           | 25           | 0            | 266          | 266          | 0            |
| 21   | Madhya Pradesh      | 53542        | 53542        | 0            | 65396        | 65396        | 0            |
| 22   | Maharashtra         | 106975       | 106975       | 0            | 134133       | 134133       | 0            |
| 23   | Manipur             | 354          | 354          | 0            | 368          | 368          | 0            |
| 24   | Meghalaya           | 552          | 552          | 0            | 711          | 711          | 0            |
| 25   | Mizoram             | 93           | 93           | 0            | 130          | 130          | 0            |
| 26   | Nagaland            | 249          | 249          | 0            | 322          | 322          | 0            |
| 27   | Odisha              | 21107        | 21107        | 0            | 27220        | 27220        | 0            |
| 28   | Puducherry          | 612          | 612          | 0            | 962          | 962          | 0            |
| 29   | Punjab              | 21910        | 21910        | 0            | 24984        | 24984        | 0            |
| 30   | Rajasthan           | 81273        | 81273        | 0            | 81532        | 81532        | 0            |
| 31   | Sikkim              | 352          | 352          | 0            | 531          | 531          | 0            |
| 32   | Tamil Nadu          | 31489        | 31489        | 0            | 49939        | 49939        | 0            |
| 33   | Telangana           | 43472        | 43472        | 0            | 53432        | 53432        | 0            |
| 34   | Tripura             | 1786         | 1786         | 0            | 2233         | 2233         | 0            |
| 35   | Uttar Pradesh       | 146655       | 146655       | 0            | 186576       | 186576       | 0            |
| 36   | Uttrakhand          | 11934        | 11934        | 0            | 14611        | 14611        | 0            |
| 37   | West Bengal         | 67457        | 67457        | 0            | 79856        | 79856        | 0            |
|      | TOTAL               | 1005985      | 1005985      | 0            | 1235710      | 1235710      | 0            |