National Consumer Helpline Upgraded: Now Supports 17 Languages and Multiple Complaint Methods
The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) in India has been upgraded to make it easier for people to file complaints before going to court. Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, BL Verma, informed the Lok Sabha on July 24 about the improvements.
The upgraded NCH is accessible to everyone in the country and supports 17 languages, including Hindi, English, and several regional languages. People can call the toll-free number 1915 or use various methods like WhatsApp, SMS, email, the NCH app, the web portal, or the Umang app to register their complaints.
According to a release by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the technological upgrades have increased the call handling capacity of the NCH. The helpline handles complaints from areas such as online shopping, banking, electronics, consumer goods, digital payments, telecom services, legal matters, retail stores, internet services, and various service agencies.
The Ministry reported that the number of calls received at NCH has increased over the last few years. In Financial Year 2024-25, the NCH received 1,07,966 complaints between April 24 and June 24, compared to 83,832 cases in FY 2022-23 and 1,02,976 complaints in FY 2023-24.
To better assist consumers, the NCH regularly trains its staff in legal and technological skills through workshops. This ensures that the helpline staff can provide accurate information about consumer rights and effectively manage cases while keeping data secure and confidential.
The NCH was set up by the Department of Consumer Affairs to handle consumer complaints. Consumers can lodge complaints through the toll-free number 1800-11-4000 / 14404, SMS, or online through the portal ‘INGRAM’ (www.consumerhelpline.gov.in).
Doubts Revealed
National Consumer Helpline (NCH) -: The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is a service in India that helps people with their complaints about products or services. If you buy something and it doesn’t work or you have a problem, you can call NCH for help.
Union Minister BL Verma -: BL Verma is a government official in India. He works in the government and helps make decisions about services like the National Consumer Helpline.
17 languages -: The NCH now supports 17 different languages, which means you can get help in many different Indian languages, not just Hindi or English.
toll-free number -: A toll-free number is a phone number you can call without paying any money. It’s free to call for help with your complaints.
WhatsApp -: WhatsApp is a messaging app that you can use on your phone to send messages, pictures, and videos. You can now use it to send your complaints to NCH.
SMS -: SMS stands for Short Message Service. It’s a way to send text messages from one phone to another. You can use SMS to send your complaints to NCH.
email -: Email is a way to send messages using the internet. You can write your complaint in an email and send it to NCH.
apps -: Apps are software programs you can download on your phone or computer. NCH has apps you can use to send your complaints easily.
grievances -: Grievances are complaints or problems that people have. When you have a problem with something you bought, you can tell NCH about your grievance.
