NEW DELHI: Now you can lodge a complaint against any faulty product or poor quality service through a mobile app, which the consumer affairs ministry launched on Tuesday. People can use the “Consumer App” and the ministry claimed simple complaints will be addressed in 15 days and the complicated ones in maximum 60 days.

The app developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC) is available for free in English and Hindi and can be downloaded on Android and iOS platforms. While launching the mobile application, Union consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan said the app will help the ministry address issues relating to 42 sectors such as banking, insurance, air travel, real estate, to name a few. The ministry will process the complaints for redressal for nearly 250 categories of products and services . He added the consumers will get regular update about the status of their complaints and these will be closed only when the consumers submit that the issues are resolved or they are satisfied.

“People can use the app for giving suggestions as well. Our focus will be on time-bound response to complaints. I will be taking a weekly review meeting of the progress and status of complaints. This exercise will help us identify areas where we need to focus more,” Paswan said.

The minister said once people come to know that their issues are being addressed that they raise through the app, even the product sellers and service providers will fall in line. He added this is an additional platform that the government has created for filing consumer complaints. “Consumer helpline and consumer forums will continue to play their role,” Paswan said.

Consumer affairs secretary A K Srivasatva said the mobile app has a “knowledge base” feature, which addresses frequently asked questions, and the app also has a section with important links that will be useful to consumers.

