NCH receives 3K GST-related complaints post tax cuts: Consumer Affairs secy

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare on Monday said the government's National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has received 3,000 complaints related to GST since the implementation of reduced taxes.

"We have so far received 3,000 consumer complaints. We are sending them to the CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs) for further action," Khare told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

The Consumer Affairs Ministry is closely monitoring instances where consumers are being cheated through misleading discount practices to avoid passing on the benefits of reduced GST rates, she said.

The ministry is deploying artificial intelligence and chatbot technology to get a clearer picture of complaints across various sectors, she added.

The complaints mechanism comes amid concerns that retailers may not be fully passing on the benefit of GST rate reductions to consumers, prompting the government to strengthen its monitoring systems.