SRINAGAR: The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has told the Lok Sabha that Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh registered a combined total of 9,396 consumer grievances with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) over the past three years.
The ministry said the rise in complaints reflects growing issues linked to e-commerce, including online purchases, delayed deliveries and defective products.
According to the official figures, Jammu Kashmir logged 6,874 complaints in 2022, 7,967 in 2023 and 9,178 in 2024. “All grievances were addressed within the prescribed timelines,” the ministry noted.
For Ladakh, 136 complaints were recorded in 2022, followed by 137 in 2023 and 218 in 2024—each of which was successfully resolved.
The ministry added that the NCH has expanded significantly, with nationwide monthly complaints rising from 37,062 in 2017 to 1,42,605 in 2025, driven by rapid digital adoption and a surge in online transactions. “The share of complaints submitted via WhatsApp increased from 11 per cent in October 2023 to 30 per cent in October 2025.”
To improve grievance redressal, the NCH has rolled out AI-based speech recognition, translation tools and an AI-powered chatbot under the NCH 2.0 initiative to simplify complaint filing, particularly for consumers in remote areas of JK and Ladakh.
The ministry also said the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 continues to empower District, State and National Consumer Commissions to ensure faster disposal of cases. “Over the last three years, the JK Consumer Commission registered 10, 19 and 30 new cases respectively, with overall disposals improving steadily.”
Additionally, the recently launched e-Jagriti platform integrates services like e-Daakhil, CONFONET and OCMS, enabling residents of JK and Ladakh to file complaints, upload documents, pay fees and attend hearings online.
