Achievements

Major Achievements of Department of Consumer Affairs in the last 2 years

I.         Price Monitoring:

1.    Expansion of Food Commodities under Daily Price Monitoring: Coverage of food commodities under daily price monitoring was expanded from 22 to 40 commodities, including millets, spices, vegetables, dairy products, and other essential items. The expanded monitoring framework improved food inflation assessment and strengthened evidence-based policy decisions relating to price and inflation management.

2.    Expansion of Price Reporting Centres: The number of price reporting centres was increased from around 450 to 577, strengthening real-time monitoring of commodity prices across regions. The expanded network enhanced the Government’s ability to identify and respond promptly to emerging price trends and market volatility.

3.    Bulk Transportation of Onions through Railways under PSF Operations: For the first time under PSF onion operations, railway wagons were utilized for bulk transportation of onions from Nashik to major consumption centres. The initiative improved cost-effective disposal and price stabilization, with rail rake deployment increasing from 14 rakes in 2024 to 86 rakes in 2025.

4.    Improvement in Onion Recovery Rate under Buffer Operations: The recovery rate of PSF buffer onions improved significantly from 56% in 2023 to 72% in 2025 through transparent bidding mechanisms and improved operational practices. The enhanced recovery rate ensured greater availability of onions for market intervention and effective price stabilization.

II. Consumer Protection Unit:

1.      The Department of Consumer Affairs has worked proactively for safeguarding Consumer Interests against Deceptive Dark Patterns used in Digital Design and Choice Architecture to coerce, or influence consumers into making choices that are not in their best interest.

2.      To safeguard consumer interests, the CCPA has issued 45 notices to e-commerce platforms engaged in dark patterns, including basket sneaking, confirm shaming, and subscription traps etc. 

3.      An advisory under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, mandates e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits for detecting dark patterns and submit self-declarations, promoting a fair, ethical, and consumer-focused digital ecosystem order to ensure fair digital ecosystem along with building trust between consumers and e-commerce platforms.  Based on this advisory, 29 leading e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, and Zomato, have submitted self-declarations affirming their commitment to eliminating dark patterns and building trust with consumers.

4.      The Department launched e-Jagriti on 1 January 2025 as a unified digital platform for consumer grievance redressal and justice delivery. The platform integrated legacy systems into a single user-friendly portal, enabling faster, transparent, and accessible complaint resolution, including for NRIs. By February 2026, over 3.47 lakh users had registered and more than 1.70 lakh cases had been disposed of through the platform. e-Jagriti is a true gift of Digital India – delivering justice at the doorsteps of consumers

5.      Jansunwai – Weekly Virtual Support Initiative: A dedicated weekly virtual support initiative, “Jansunwai”, was launched to facilitate smooth transition to the e-Jagriti platform and provide awareness on consumer protection and Legal Metrology-related provisions. The initiative enabled real-time technical assistance, stakeholder engagement, faster grievance resolution, and continuous platform improvement through user feedback.

III.      Bureau of Indian Standards:

1.      To promote ease of doing business, the validity duration of BIS product certification has been uniformly enhanced to 5 years eliminating the need to make the renewal application every year. 

2.      The National Building Code (NBC) was reviewed and rationalized to promote a more pragmatic, flexible, and less prescriptive regulatory framework suited to Indian conditions. Provisions relating to construction management, sustainability, and asset management were streamlined into a Handbook of Good Practices in line with international best practices. The initiative is expected to promote safe, resilient, sustainable, and energy-efficient construction practices across the country while strengthening structural and fire safety and enhancing disaster resilience.

3.      A revised standard for silver hallmarking introducing a digitally traceable HUID-based system came into effect from 1 September 2025. The initiative strengthened consumer protection by ensuring authenticity and purity verification of silver articles, while improving traceability and resale value of hallmarked products. Over 30 lakh silver articles have been hallmarked under the HUID system, with 265 recognized Assaying and Hallmarking Centres across 92 districts and more than 20,000 registered silver jewellers.

IV. National Test House:

1.         National Test House (NTH) recorded significant growth during FY 2024-25, with samples tested increasing by 60.36% and revenue rising by 49.85% compared to FY 2023-24. NTH also strengthened its testing infrastructure through the foundation stone laying of the EV Testing Facility at RRSL Bengaluru on 22nd August 2024, and the inauguration of the Food Testing Laboratory at Guwahati and Low Voltage Switch Gear Facility at Mumbai on 24th December 2024.

2.         NTH expanded its advanced testing capabilities by initiating testing of Mycorrhizal Biofertilizers and Nano Urea across its laboratories in line with the Gazette Notification dated 19th December 2024. An Integrated Power Transformer Test System was developed at NTH, Chennai, while dedicated EV Testing Facilities and a Drone Testing Centre were established at NTH (ER), Kolkata and NTH (NR), Ghaziabad respectively. A State-of-the-Art Chemical (Fertiliser) Testing Laboratory was also established at NTH (NR), Ghaziabad.

3.         NTH further strengthened institutional collaboration and technical recognition through an MoU with BEE for Referral Laboratory Services and another MoU between NTH (ER), Kolkata and RDCIS, SAIL for Equipment Calibration. The High Voltage Lab at NTH (NR), Ghaziabad was empanelled as a BEE Reference Lab, while NTH (ER), Kolkata received recognition under Indian Boiler Regulations and issued its first GATC certificate.

4.         In addition, NTH developed a Lab Data Acquisition System (LDAS) and introduced several new testing facilities, including Railway Track Component testing at Kolkata, mineral mixture testing for cattle feed at Jaipur, and corrosion resistance testing facilities at Mumbai.

V. Legal Metrology

1.         Verification period for Petrol/Diesel Dispensers has been increased to two years, reducing compliance burden and costs for industry, promoting Ease of Doing Business, and enabling State Governments to focus more on regulatory oversight.

2.         Mandatory declarations, including Retail Sale Price, have been made compulsory on all sizes of pan masala packages, removing exemptions for small packs (up to 10g) and aligning pan masala with tobacco products under Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.

3.         The inclusion of ‘Country of Origin’ Filter in E-commerce Websites for imported products supports Atmanirbhar Bharat, boosts visibility of Made in India products, ensures level playing field for Indian manufacturers and empowers consumers to make informed choices.

4.         Eight Rules for various weighing and measuring instruments, including Radar Speed Meters, Gas Meters, Moisture Meters, Breath Analysers, Clinical Thermometers, and Blood Pressure Meters, have been notified to ensure accuracy, legal compliance, consumer safety, and fair trade across multiple sectors.

5.         Harmonization of Packaged Commodities Rules with Medical Devices Rules has created a uniform labelling framework, reducing regulatory ambiguity and compliance burden for industry, while ensuring standardized information and enhanced consumer protection for medical devices.

6.         Amendment of the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013 in 2025 expanded the scope of GATCs and facilitated greater private sector participation, thereby strengthening verification infrastructure and reducing service delivery timelines.    

7.         Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 led to the decriminalization of several provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, promoting trust-based governance by reducing penal action for minor or technical non-compliances and introducing improvement notices and a registration-based system to enhance Ease of Doing Business.

8.         Significant progress has been made in the Indian Standard Time dissemination project being implemented in collaboration with National Physical Laboratory and Indian Space Research Organisation to establish a robust national time synchronization system for critical sectors such as telecommunications, banking, and digital governance. Draft rules for mandatory adoption of Indian Standard Time are also at an advanced stage of finalization.

9.         The Department introduced a Facilitation Helpdesk (Jan Sunvai) w.e.f. 20th May 2025 to address Legal Metrology queries through a weekly video-based platform held every Tuesday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, thereby strengthening the Business-Government interface.

10.      Integration of services through digital platforms has minimized physical interface and enhanced transparency in regulatory processes. At the State level, efforts have also been made to strengthen digital systems, improve enforcement mechanisms, and build institutional capacity for efficient service delivery and compliance monitoring.

11.      A predictable transition framework for labelling amendments was introduced with fixed implementation dates (1 January / 1 July) and a mandatory 180-day notice period. The initiative has reduced regulatory uncertainty and facilitated better compliance planning for industry.

12.      The pan-India eMaap portal was launched as a single-window platform for Legal Metrology-related information and services. The portal has simplified access for industry and traders by integrating services previously scattered across different State portals.

13.      E1 and E2 Class Weights were introduced for verification of precious metals to ensure higher accuracy in measurement. The initiative helps eliminate weight discrepancy disputes, enhances consumer confidence in jewellery transactions, and safeguards consumers against losses in high-value purchases.