Patna: The Department of Consumer Affairs organised a regional workshop on consumer protection for eastern states in Patna, bringing together officials from Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms and improve the functioning of Consumer Commissions.
The workshop focused on reducing case backlogs, ensuring better compliance with commission orders and leveraging digital tools to deliver faster consumer justice.
Emerging challenges such as dark patterns and unfair trade practices in digital markets were also discussed.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, highlighted reforms aimed at modernising the consumer redressal ecosystem, including the expanded role of the National Consumer Helpline (NCH 2.0) and the rollout of E-Jagriti (CONFONET 2.0).
She said the integrated digital platform enables end-to-end case management through e-filing, video hearings, dashboards and AI-based tools, improving transparency and disposal timelines, especially in rural and geographically dispersed regions.
Khare also emphasised the need to strengthen domestic pulses production and procurement to ensure price stability and farmer welfare.
Bihar Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit welcomed the digital push, calling it essential for future-ready governance, and assured that recommendations from the workshop would be implemented.
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