New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) The six new Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for medical assistive technologies, part of the NLEAP (National List of Essential Assistive Products) initiative brought about by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), aim to serve as a guideline for policymakers, healthcare providers, and the concerned stakeholders for provision of assistive products as well as support the development of assistive technologies across the country, the government said on Friday.Standards fo…
Latest Ministry of Consumer Affairs News & Updates
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) The Centre is reportedly considering a new fuel price stabilisation mechanism aimed at protecting consumers from sharp fluctuations in petrol, diesel and LPG prices amid rising global energy volatility.The proposal, which is currently under discussion among key ministries, seeks to establish a dedicated buffer system that can be deployed during periods of extreme price swings, according to NDTV Profit report.The move comes as geopolitical tensions in West Asia continue…
New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Illicit trade in India remains as a “shadow economy” that impacts consumer trust, honest businesses and public revenues, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday.The objective is not just consumer protection, but consumer prosperity, the minister said as he pointed to initiatives such as the Central Consumer Protection Authority, the National Consumer Helpline, and the Jago Grahak Jago campaign as key pillars in em…
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has flagged the practice of hotels and restaurants demanding or collecting additional charges — ‘LPG charges’, ‘gas surcharge’ and ‘fuel cost recovery’ — in consumer bills, terming it an unfair trade practice, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Wednesday.The authority said such charges are being imposed by default to bypass existing norms on service charges, and issued an advisory di…
New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) The government has decided to temporarily discontinue fortification of rice until a more robust and effective nutrient delivery mechanism is developed and operationalised.According to Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the government reviewed the implementation of rice fortification under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) and other welfare schemes. This decision of temporary discontinuation of fortification process does not ent…
New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Friday said it has issued notices to six e-commerce platforms for listing and offering for sale restricted wireless transmitting devices including drones.The six e-commerce entities are Everse, IndiaMart, Xboom, Javiat Aerospace, AirONE Robotics and Maveric Drones & Technologies Pvt Ltd.The online entities sold “Anti-Drone Systems”, “Drone Jammers” and “GPS Jammers”, in an alleged violation of the Consum…
New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) e-Jagriti, National Consumer Helpline, BIS standards, and Legal Metrology were some of the flagship reforms and high-impact initiatives undertaken in 2025 to boost consumer protection, said the government on Saturday.The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution noted that “2025 marked a defining phase for the Department of Consumer Affairs as consumer protection in India moved decisively towards speed, accessibility and trust”.In a bid to boost co…
New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) The government on Monday said that the Department of Consumer Affairs has achieved a significant milestone by awarding 12 Government Approved Test Centre (GATC) certificates to 11 private entities, thus strengthening India’s legal metrology verification ecosystem through a structured public–private partnership framework.This step marks a transformative reform in the country’s legal metrology system by expanding verification capacity beyond the public sector and ena…
New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has facilitated refunds amounting to Rs 45 crore during the eight-month period from April 25-December 26 2025, addressing 67,265 consumer grievances related to refund claims across 31 sectors, it was announced on Saturday.The e-commerce sector recorded the highest number of grievances and refunds, with 39,965 grievances resulting in refunds of Rs 32 crore.This was followed by the travel and tourism sector, which registered 4,050 griev…
New Delhi, Dec 26 (IANS) The government on Friday released a new BIS Standard for incense sticks (agarbatti) to enhance consumer safety, indoor air quality, environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance.Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, released “IS 19412:2025–Incense Sticks (Agarbatti)” Specification, on the occasion of ‘National Consumer Day 2025’ here.The newly-notified standard specifies prohibited use of certain insecticidal…