Lok Sabha Question No. 339 (STARRED), answered on 2016-08-09
Subject: Complaints on Helpline
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, DHARMENDRA YADAV

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Government of India Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. *339

TO BE ANSWERED ON 9.08.2016

## COMPLAINTS ON HELPLINE

- *339.   SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

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

- (a) whether  the  complaints  against  e-commerce  companies  form  a  large  part  of  the  total complaints received on the consumer helpline and if so, the number and details of such complaints received on the helpline during the last three years;
- (b) whether the Government has directed the e-commerce companies to put in place a robust grievance  redressal  mechanism  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  response  of  the companies thereto;
- (c) whether  the  number  of  helplines  for  consumer  redressal  are  proposed  to  be  increased soon and if so, the details thereof, and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the  steps  taken/proposed  to  ease  the  process  of  registering  complaints  on  National Consumer  Helpline(s)  as  well  as  to  improve  the  functioning  and  performance  of  the Helpline(s); and
- (e) the steps being taken to put in place a mechanism to redress consumer grievances against e-commerce companies?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

THE MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) to  (e) :

A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.*339  FOR  09.08.2016  REGARDING  COMPLAINTS  ON HELPLINE.

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- (a) :    From April 2015 to March 2016, a total of 128790 complaints were received in the National Consumer helpline, out of which 23955 pertained to e-commerce sector. The trend in the last three years, as reflected in the table below indicates that proportion of the  e-commerce sector  complaints  has  gone  up  from  8.19  %  in    the  financial  year  2013-14  to  18.60  %  in  the financial year 2015-16.
- (b) :      On  12 th July,  2016, a  meeting was  held  by the Department of Consumer Affairs with around 130 companies including major e-commerce companies  where the companies were impressed upon the need for early resolution of the consumer complaints and to partner with the National Consumer Helpline in resolution of complaints.
- (c)  &  (d)  : It  has  been  decided  to  increase  the  number  of  desks  at  the  National  Consumer Helpline  from  14  to  60.  Further,  it  has  also  been  decided  to  open  six  Zonal  Helplines  at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Jaipur, Kolkata and Patna.

| Year                  | Total No. of Complaints   |   e-commerce complaints | %of e-commerce complaints   |
|-----------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|
| April 2013-March 2014 | 58,472                    |                    4792 | 8.19                        |
| May 2014-March 2015   | 92770                     |                   13812 | 14.88                       |
| April 2015-March 2016 | 128790                    |                   23955 | 18.60                       |
| Total                 | 280032                    |                   42559 |                             |

A consumer can register a complaint in the National Consumer Helpline telephonically through the toll free number or through e-mail. To improve the functioning and performance of the National Consumer Helpline, new hardware and software have been provided.

- (e) :        National  Consumer  Helpline  is  one  of  the  means  to  redress  grievances  of  the consumers through  advice,  guidance  and  information.  The  three  tier  system  of  Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions/Fora at District, State and National levels provide for a quasijudicial system of resolving consumer disputes.

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