The National Consumer Helpline (NCH), an initiative of the Department of Consumer Affairs, has facilitated refunds amounting to Rs 7.14 crore in the past two months by addressing over 15,400 consumer grievances across 30 sectors — including a notable case from Korba district, Chhattisgarh. The Korba consumer had placed a prepaid online order worth Rs 1,214 in May 2025 but did not receive the product, nor any satisfactory response from the company. After NCH’s intervention, the company refunded the amount on May 25, 2025.

 

Grateful for the quick resolution, the consumer remarked: “I am very happy with this company’s service, they solved my problem very quickly.” The helpline, a pre-litigation platform under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, has proven to be a reliable and efficient avenue for resolving consumer disputes amicably and reducing the burden on consumer commissions. Of the total grievances redressed between 25 April and 30 June 2025, the e-commerce sector registered the highest number (8,919), resulting in refunds worth Rs 3.69 crore. The travel & tourism sector followed with Rs 81 lakh in refunds, while general insurance, agency services, and airlines accounted for substantial amounts as well. Consumers from Uttar Pradesh lodged the highest number of complaints (1,242), followed by significant participation from even smaller states and UTs like Sikkim and Dadra & Nagar Haveli — underlining the nationwide reach of the helpline.

 

The Department attributed this success to stronger stakeholder engagement, expansion of convergence partners, and a wider digital reach via calls, WhatsApp, the NCH app, UMANG, CPGRAMS, SMS, email, AI-enabled chatbots, and the web portal. Apart from Chhattisgarh’s Korba case, several other noteworthy resolutions include: West Bengal: Refund of Rs 8.24 lakh for a cancelled airline ticket and Rs 1,854 for a delayed grocery delivery. Rajasthan: Refund of Rs 5,799 for a faulty washing machine. Maharashtra: Refund for missing grocery items processed within three hours. Telangana: Refund of Rs 17,490 for an incorrect refrigerator model.