Lok Sabha Question No. 2131 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-12
Subject: Enhancing Consumer Grievances Redressal Mechanisms
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Gurjeet Singh Aujla

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2131 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2025

## ENHANCING CONSUMER GRIEVANCES REDRESSAL MECHANISMS

## 2131. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:

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

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment of consumer rights violations, unfair trade practices or price exploitation in border region in view of consumer related challenges faced by people of Amritsar and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  measures  taken  by  the  Government to ensure  strict  enforcement  of  quality  standards  in  light  of  rampant adulteration of essential food items, especially in dairy, grains and packaged goods;
- (c) the details of the specific actions taken by the Government to curb the inflow of illegal or substandard products into the market and protect consumers from fraudulent goods;
- (d) whether the Government has any plans to enhance consumer grievance redressal mechanisms in border districts including setting up special consumer courts or fast-track complaint resolution centres; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to  (e) :  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  is  continuously  working  for  consumer  protection  and empowerment of consumers by enactment of progressive legislations. With a view to modernize the framework governing  the  consumer  protection  in  the  new  era  of  globalization,  technologies,  ecommerce  markets  etc. Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was repealed and Consumer Protection Act, 2019 was enacted.

Salient  features  of  the  Consumer  Protection  Act,  2019  are  establishment  of  a  Central  Consumer Protection Authority(CCPA); simplification of the adjudication process in the Consumer Commissions; online filing of a complaint by a consumer in the Consumer Commission having jurisdiction over the complainant's place of residence/work or where the cause of action arises, or the place of business or residence of the opposite parties; deemed admissibility of complaints if admissibility is not decided within 21 days of filing; provision of product liability; penal provisions for manufacture/sale of adulterated products/spurious goods; provision for making rules for prevention of unfair trade practice in e-commerce and direct selling etc.

The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides for a three tier quasi-judicial machinery at District, State and Central levels commonly known as 'Consumer Commissions' for protection of the rights of consumers and to provide simple and speedy redressal of consumer disputes including those related with unfair trade practices.  The  Consumer  Commissions  are  empowered  to  give  relief  of  a  specific  nature  and  award compensation to consumers, wherever appropriate. At present, there is one State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at the state level  and  twenty  three  District  Consumer  Disputes  Redressal  Commissions  at  the district level in the State of Punjab.

As per Section 38 (7) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, 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.

To serve the interest of speedy justice to the end consumers, Consumer Protection Act states that no adjournment shall ordinarily be granted by the consumer commissions unless sufficient cause is shown and the reasons for grant of adjournment have been recorded in writing by the Commission.

Section 90 and 91 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provide for punishment for manufacturing for sale or for storing or selling or for distributing or importing any product containing an adulterant or spurious goods, which includes imprisonment or fine depending on the extent of injury to the consumer.

Under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA),  an  executive  agency,  came  into  existence  on  24.07.2020.  It  is  designed  to  intervene,  to  prevent consumer detriment arising from unfair trade practices and to initiate class action(s), including the enforcement of  recalls,  refunds  and  return  of  products.  Its  core  mandate  is  to  prevent  and  regulate  false  or  misleading advertisements which are prejudicial to the public interest.

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs has emerged as a single point of access to consumers across the country for their grievance redressal at a prelitigation stage. Consumers can register their grievances from all over the country in 17 languages through a toll-free  number  1915.  These  grievances  can  be  registered  on  Integrated  Grievance  Redressal  Mechanism (INGRAM), an omni-channel 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 as per their convenience.  1049 companies, who have voluntarily partnered with NCH, as part of the 'Convergence' programme directly respond to these grievances according to their redressal process, and revert by providing a feedback to the complainant on the portal. Complaints against those companies, who have not partnered with National Consumer Helpline, are forwarded to the company for redressal.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), through State/UTs and its Regional Offices, conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products to check compliance with the quality and safety parameters and other requirements as laid down under Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, and regulations made thereunder. In cases where food samples are found to be nonconforming, penal action is taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Rules and Regulations.

Further, for regular inspection and monitoring the quality of food, FSSAI has also provided financial and  technical  support  to  the  States/UTs  for  strengthening  the  food  testing  ecosystem  which  includes procurement  of  High  End  and  Basic  Equipment,  setting  up  of  Microbiology  laboratory  and  managing contingencies, Mobile Food Testing Laboratories, Manpower, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation etc.

FSSAI has sanctioned a total  grant  of  Rs.  23.56  Crores  from  2016-2024  to  the  state  of  Punjab  for strengthening the food testing ecosystem. FSSAI has also sanctioned 23 Mobile Food Testing Laboratories for the State of Punjab. These Mobile labs are equipped with basic infrastructure for quick qualitative testing for detection of adulteration in various food commodities. Mobile labs are also used as a platform for conducting training  and  awareness  programmes  across  the  State.  Mobile  food  labs,  deployed  in  the  state  of  Punjab conducted a total of 20276 surveillance tests, 1030 public awareness programs, and 156 training sessions for various stakeholders.