NEW DELHI: The National Consumer Helpline (NCH), managed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, has been significantly upgraded to enhance its service to consumers across India. This helpline now serves as a comprehensive platform for addressing consumer grievances before any legal action is taken.
The NCH is accessible through a toll-free number, 1915, and supports 17 languages, including Hindi, English, and several regional languages like Kashmiri, Punjabi, and Marathi. This multilingual feature ensures that consumers from various linguistic backgrounds can easily register their complaints.
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Grievances can be submitted via the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM), a centralized, IT-enabled portal. Consumers have multiple channels to file their complaints, such as WhatsApp, SMS, email, the NCH app, a web portal, and the Umang app, offering convenience and flexibility.
Recent upgrades have increased the NCH’s call-handling capacity, leading to a rise in the number of complaints received. The average monthly complaints have grown significantly, with 1,07,966 complaints recorded from April to June 2024, up from 1,02,976 in the previous financial year, and 83,832 in 2022-2023.
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The helpline handles a wide array of consumer issues, including those related to e-commerce, banking, electronics, consumer durables, digital payments, telecom, legal services, retail outlets, broadband, and internet services. To ensure efficient and knowledgeable support, NCH regularly trains its staff, equipping them with the necessary skills in legal and technological domains. This training helps counsellors provide accurate information on consumer rights and regulatory frameworks while ensuring efficient case management and data security.
Additionally, the Mediation Act of 2023 offers a pathway for voluntary mediation in civil and commercial disputes, encouraging out-of-court settlements. This initiative supports the NCH’s goal of resolving disputes amicably and efficiently, easing the burden on the judicial system.