e-Jagriti, BIS standards, Legal Metrology drive consumer reforms in 2025

New Delhi, Jan 31: 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 consumer welfare, the government in 2025 undertook large-scale digital transformation, market stabilisation measures, modernised standards, and stronger institutional partnerships in 2025.

“From paperless consumer courts and AI-enabled grievance redressal to safer household products, accurate trade practices and expanded testing infrastructure, the year reflected a shift from reactive regulation to responsive, technology-driven governance,” the Ministry said.

The nationwide rollout of e-Jagriti on January 1, 2025, was a landmark reform of 2025.

e-Jagriti is a unified, end-to-end digital platform that transformed consumer dispute resolution in the country.

“By mid-November 2025, over 2.81 lakh users, including 1,400 NRIs, had registered on the platform, with complaints filed from countries such as the US, UK, UAE, Canada, and Australia,” the Ministry said.

“More than 1.35 lakh cases were instituted, while over 1.31 lakh cases were disposed, reflecting faster disposal and reduced pendency across consumer commissions,” it added.

Further, consumer awareness initiatives in 2025 focused on scale, inclusivity and last-mile outreach.

Under the Strengthening Consumer Commissions scheme, financial assistance of Rs 7.31 crore was released to States during the current financial year to upgrade infrastructure and improve service delivery.

The National Consumer Helpline (NCH), available in 17 languages, continued to serve as the first point of grievance redressal for consumers.

The number of convergence partners increased to 1,169 companies. Between April and October 2025, the helpline facilitated refunds amounting to Rs 27.61 crore across 49,333 cases.

New BIS standards were also released in 2025 to enhance consumer safety and product quality. BIS also expanded mandatory hallmarking coverage, introduced HUID marking for silver jewellery, enabling complete digital traceability and enhanced consumer protection.

Legal Metrology reforms during the year focused on ensuring accurate trade transactions while reducing compliance burden. New rules were notified for instruments such as gas meters, moisture meters, radar speed measuring equipment, and breath analysers.

--IANS