Summary: The Department of Consumer Affairs has integrated Goods and Services Tax (GST) grievance redressal into the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) as part of the Next-Gen GST Reforms 2025, effective from 22 September 2025.
Summary: The Department of Consumer Affairs has integrated Goods and Services Tax (GST) grievance redressal into the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) as part of the Next-Gen GST Reforms 2025, effective from 22 September 2025. A dedicated GST category has been introduced on the INGRAM portal, covering sectors like automobiles, banking, consumer durables, e-commerce, and FMCG, allowing consumers to lodge GST-related complaints. To support this initiative, CBIC officials conducted training for NCH counsellors on 11 September 2025, and a stakeholder consultation was held on 17 September 2025 with industry associations and e-commerce platforms, urging them to pass on GST rate benefits to consumers. The NCH will share consumer complaint data with companies, CBIC, and other authorities to facilitate corrective measures and ensure compliance. Consumers can register grievances through toll-free number 1915, the NCH portal, app, Umang app, WhatsApp, SMS, and email, in 17 regional languages. Over the years, NCH has expanded into a robust grievance redressal system with 1,142 convergence partners, handling over one lakh complaints per month. The platform has also scaled its capacity, with calls increasing from 12,553 in December 2015 to 1,55,138 in December 2024, and complaints rising from 37,062 per month in 2017 to 1,70,585 in 2025, with nearly 65% filed digitally. This move aims to strengthen GST compliance, ensure benefits reach consumers, and promote participatory governance by making consumers active stakeholders in market fairness.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
Department of Consumer Affairs, GoI, enables GST grievance redressal on National Consumer Helpline (NCH) as part of Next-Gen GST Reforms 2025
NCH strengthens consumer empowerment through a dedicated GST sub-category
Posted On: 20 SEP 2025 11:42AM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Consumer Affairs has taken steps to align the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) with the Next-Gen GST Reforms 2025 approved during the 56th Meeting of GST Council chaired by the Union Finance Minister and in line with the vision articulated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister in his Independence Day 2025 address.
To address the expected consumer queries and complaints on NCH following the implementation of revised GST charges, rates and exemptions effective from 22.09.2025, a dedicated category has been enabled on the INGRAM portal. This category features major sub-categories including Automobiles, Banking, Consumer Durables, E-commerce, FMCG and others wherein GST related complaints will be registered.
In preparation for this initiative, an inaugural training session by Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) officials was conducted on 11.09.2025 to equip NCH counsellors to handle GST related queries and grievances effectively. Recently, a stakeholder consultation meeting was convened under the chairpersonship of Secretary (Consumer Affairs) on 17.09.2025 with participation from leading e-commerce platforms, representatives of industry associations and consumer durables companies. During the meeting, participants were urged to pass on the benefits of GST rate reductions on specified goods and services to consumers.
The helpline will also share data and insights generated from consumer complaints under this sector with concerned companies, CBIC and other concerned authorities to enable timely action under relevant laws. This initiative is expected to strengthen GST compliance and promote a participatory governance model by empowering consumers to become active stakeholders in fair market practices.
The National Consumer Helpline (www.consumerhelpline.gov.in) has emerged as a single point of access for consumers across the country to register grievances at the pre-litigation stage. Consumers can now lodge their complaints in 17 languages (including Hindi, English, Kashmiri, Punjabi, Nepali, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Maithili, Santhali, Bengali, Odia, Assamese, and Manipuri) via toll-free number 1915 or through the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism (INGRAM). This omni-channel IT-enabled platform supports multiple registration modes including WhatsApp, SMS, email, NCH app, web portal and Umang app providing convenience and flexibility to consumers.
Over the years, NCH has grown into a robust ecosystem collaborating with 1,142 convergence partners till date comprising private companies, regulators, ombudsman and government agencies, thereby enabling centralized and faster grievance resolution. Each complaint is assigned a unique docket number for transparent tracking and resolution. The platform currently receives over one lakh complaints per month reflecting the growing consumer trust.
The technological transformation of the NCH has significantly boosted its call-handling capacity. The number of calls received by NCH has grown more than tenfold from 12,553 in December 2015 to 1,55,138 in December 2024. This exponential growth reflects the rising confidence of consumers in the helpline. Similarly, the average number of complaints registered per month has surged from 37,062 in 2017 to 1,70,585 in 2025. With the introduction of digital modes, nearly 65% of consumer grievances on the helpline are registered through online and digital channels.