The National Consumer Helpline has successfully facilitated refunds totalling Rs 714.9 million to consumers between 25 April and 30 June 2025. Operated under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, the helpline addressed 15,426 refund-related grievances spanning 30 different sectors, reinforcing its growing role as a vital pre-litigation grievance redressal platform under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The e-commerce sector registered the highest number of grievances at 8,919 cases, corresponding to Rs 369.6 million in facilitated refunds. The travel and tourism sector followed with 1,057 cases and Rs 81.4 million refunded. Other notable sectors included general insurance (101 grievances, Rs 41.4 million), agency services (261 grievances, Rs 38.4 million), and airlines (186 grievances, Rs 30.9 million). Collectively, these sectors contributed to over 10,300 complaints and the majority of the refund volume.
Uttar Pradesh led in the number of e-commerce complaints, registering 1,242 grievances. Smaller territories such as Sikkim and Dadra & Nagar Haveli also lodged complaints, reflecting the helpline’s national reach and growing accessibility.
The Department attributed the strong outcomes to expanded engagement with convergence partners and robust digital outreach. The platform registered 1,335,557 grievances between 1 June 2024 and 31 May 2025, marking an increase over the 1,279,964 grievances received the previous year. This surge highlights the helpline’s effectiveness and rising public awareness, especially through digital interfaces including a toll-free number (1915), web portal, NCH app, UMANG platform, WhatsApp (8800001915), SMS, email, and AI chatbot services.
Data from 2023–25 shows a sharp rise in digital engagement. The number of web-based complaints rose from 521,414 in 2023–24 to 617,585 in 2024–25. App-based submissions increased from 157,876 to 193,851, while WhatsApp submissions grew from 287,151 to 333,752.
A series of case studies illustrate the platform’s responsiveness. In Kolkata, a consumer received a refund of Rs 824,877 for a cancelled flight after NCH intervention. In Burdwan, West Bengal, a dispute over a delayed grocery delivery was resolved with a swift refund of Rs 1,854. In Rajasthan, a consumer was refunded Rs 5,799 for an uncollected defective appliance. A customer in Korba, Chhattisgarh, received Rs 1,214 after a prepaid toy order remained undelivered. In Mumbai, Maharashtra, a grocery order grievance was resolved within three hours. In Telangana’s Medak district, a consumer who received the wrong refrigerator model was refunded Rs 17,490 following NCH’s assistance.
The Department reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the consumer protection ecosystem and urged citizens to use the helpline to secure their rights. With multilingual support across 17 languages and omni-channel accessibility, the National Consumer Helpline continues to expand its role as a trustworthy and inclusive grievance redressal platform nationwide.
