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Digital Reforms to Speed Up Consumer Grievance Redressal in Eastern States

Nidhi Khare highlighted digital reforms to modernize consumer grievance redressal, emphasizing platforms like the National Consumer Helpline and the integrated E-Jagriti system. She addressed a regional workshop in Patna, focusing on improving access to justice in eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha. The reforms aim to create a transparent, efficient digital ecosystem for faster case disposal and better monitoring. The workshop also covered reducing pendency, order compliance, and tackling emerging issues like dark patterns in digital markets.

Key Points: Digital Reforms for Faster Consumer Grievance Redressal

  • E-Jagriti platform rollout
  • National Consumer Helpline 2.0 upgrade
  • Focus on eastern states' rural access
  • Tackling case pendency & dark patterns
2 min read

Digital reforms to speed up consumer grievance redressal in eastern states: Nidhi Khare

Nidhi Khare outlines digital platforms like E-Jagriti to improve consumer justice access in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

"E-Jagriti marks a shift from fragmented systems to a transparent, efficient and real-time digital ecosystem. - Nidhi Khare"

New Delhi, Jan 13

The digital consumer grievance redressal systems can greatly improve access to consumer justice in rural and geographically dispersed districts of Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, said on Tuesday.

In her keynote address at the 'Regional Workshop on Consumer Protection for Eastern States' in Patna, Khare highlighted the major reforms undertaken by the Department of Consumer Affairs to modernise the consumer grievance redressal system across the country.

Khare underlined the growing role of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH 2.0) as a pre-litigation platform that provides multi-lingual access, online complaint filing and faster resolution through technology.

The Secretary also detailed the nationwide rollout of E-Jagriti (CONFONET 2.0) a single integrated digital platform for Consumer Commissions'-Jagriti brings together e-Daakhil, online case management, video conferencing, data dashboards and AI-based tools, creating an end-to-end digital workflow for consumer cases.

"E-Jagriti marks a shift from fragmented systems to a transparent, efficient and real-time digital ecosystem, enabling better monitoring and quicker disposal of cases," she mentioned, urging state and district consumer commissions to make full use of video hearings, automated case tools and performance dashboards to reduce delays and ensure timely execution of orders.

She also spoke about the need to strengthen domestic production and procurement of pulses, noting a shift in household consumption from cereals towards pulses.

Pratyaya Amrit, Chief Secretary, Bihar Government, emphasised that citizens must be seen not just as beneficiaries, but as consumers with the right to clear information, fair treatment and timely redressal. He praised initiatives like E-Jagriti and expressed confidence that discussions on emerging issues such as dark patterns would lead to meaningful outcomes.

The workshop focused on reducing case pendency, improving compliance of consumer commission orders, using digital tools for faster justice, and addressing emerging challenges such as dark patterns and unfair trade practices in digital market.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
E-Jagriti sounds promising, but my experience with online government portals has been mixed. The idea is great, but will there be enough digital literacy outreach in rural areas? And what about internet connectivity issues? The intent is good, execution is key.
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Aman W
Finally! My father in Odisha had a terrible time with a faulty tractor purchase. Running to the district office for months with no result. If this E-Jagriti platform can provide video hearings and track cases online, it will save so much time and travel cost for common people.
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Sarah B
The focus on 'dark patterns' in digital markets is crucial. So many apps and websites use tricky designs to make you subscribe or pay. Glad to see consumer protection evolving with the times. Consumers in India need this shield.
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Vikram M
Good move. But alongside digital tools, we need to fix the basic infrastructure of consumer courts. Many are understaffed. Technology can speed things up only if the human backend is also strengthened. Hope this is part of the plan.
K
Kavya N
The mention of pulses is interesting. With prices of dal always fluctuating, ensuring fair trade practices from farm to our kitchen is a major consumer issue. Hope the digital system can also help monitor essential commodity prices and hoarding.

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