Regional Workshop Strengthens Consumer Protection in Raipur

RR Team

15 hours ago

Raipur, Chhattisgarh – The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Chhattisgarh, inaugurated a two-day Regional Workshop on Strengthening Consumer Protection Mechanisms on 21st February 2026. The workshop brought together representatives from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Jharkhand to share best practices and enhance consumer justice delivery systems.

The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Dayaldas Baghel, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Chhattisgarh, along with Shri Justice A. P. Sahi, President of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, and other dignitaries.

Focus on Technology-Driven Consumer Justice

In his address, Shri Baghel highlighted the importance of digital reforms such as e-filing, e-hearing, and the use of Artificial Intelligence to ensure speedy, accessible, and affordable consumer justice. He stressed tackling emerging challenges in e-commerce, including dark patterns and effective execution of Consumer Commission orders.

Smt. Nidhi Khare emphasized the Government’s commitment to hassle-free grievance redressal through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) and the e-Jagriti platform for end-to-end digital case management. Over ₹52 crores have already been refunded to consumers through NCH from April 2025 to January 2026, demonstrating its effectiveness.

Judicial Perspectives and Capacity Building

Shri Justice A. P. Sahi underscored the importance of timely grievance resolution under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. He advocated for continuous capacity building, inter-state collaboration, and responsible use of AI tools to enhance transparency and efficiency without replacing judicial discretion.

Technical Sessions and Key Themes

Technical Session I: E-Jagriti, e-Filing, e-Hearing and AI in consumer grievance redressal
Technical Session II: Procedure for admission of complaints
Technical Session III: Digital and e-commerce challenges, including dark patterns
Technical Session IV: Speedy and effective disposal of execution applications
Technical Session V: Discussion on amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Technical Session VI: Procedural uniformity in Consumer Commissions

Parallel sessions also addressed Legal Metrology, E-Maap, Jan Vishwas Bill, and deregulation measures to further strengthen consumer rights.

Collaborative Learning and Inter-State Cooperation

The workshop featured senior officials and members from national, state, and district Consumer Commissions, voluntary consumer organizations, and government representatives. States actively shared experiences and strategies to enhance institutional effectiveness, minimize adjournments, and expedite case disposal.

Since June 2022, the Department has been systematically conducting regional workshops to review pendency, disseminate best practices, and ensure technology-enabled, consumer-friendly justice delivery.

The Department reaffirmed its continued support to States in building efficient, accessible, and technology-driven consumer justice mechanisms to empower consumers across India.