New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) The government on Wednesday said the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has facilitated refunds of more than Rs 105 crore to consumers across 35 sectors by addressing 1,66,189 refund-related grievances during April 25, 2025 to July 31, 2026.
The e-commerce sector accounted for the largest share of refund-related grievances, with 1,00,466 complaints resulting in refunds of more than Rs 74 crore.
The Travel and Tourism sector followed, with refunds exceeding Rs 10 crore.
During May 2026 to July 2026, refunds facilitated in the e-commerce sector ranged from Rs 1 to Rs 35,83,790, covering consumer grievances of varying nature and value, according to the Consumer Affairs Ministry.
“The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) under the Department of Consumer Affairs is strengthening consumer protection by ensuring timely grievance redressal at the pre-litigation stage,” said Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
The NCH operates through a convergence-based mechanism under which consumer grievances are digitally forwarded to the concerned companies for resolution within defined timelines. The process is supported by continuous monitoring and tracking consumer feedback.
Refund-related grievances received through NCH have come from metropolitan cities as well as remote regions across the country, reflecting the platform’s reach as a pan-India mechanism for consumer grievance redressal, said the ministry.
For example, in Bengaluru urban area, a consumer who ordered a mobile phone worth Rs 47,490 on August 21, 2026, with delivery scheduled for August 22, approached NCH after repeated extensions of the delivery date. Following the NCH intervention, the e-commerce platform processed a full refund of Rs 47,490.
In Andhra Pradesh, a consumer received a USB 3.1 enclosure instead of the ordered 2.5-inch Hard Drive Enclosure, USB-C 3.0 to Type-C, which was incompatible with the required device. Following the registration of the grievance with NCH, the e-commerce platform processed a refund for the product.
In Udalguri, Assam, a consumer approached NCH on May 21, 2026 following cancellation of a two-wheeler booking and delay in refunding the Rs 5,000 booking amount. Following intervention, the dealer processed the refund of the booking amount and confirmed its credit to the consumer’s account.
–IANS
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