Right To Repair Portal Launched, Piyush Goyal Calls For More Transparency

Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal launched the much-awaited ‘Right To Repair’ portal at a public event in New Delhi on the occasion of National Consumer Day on December 24.

The minister also unveiled the new premises of the National Consumer Helpline Centre in Delhi and launched the National Test House’s e-Samadhan app during the event. Besides, the Department of Consumer Affairs also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-BHU for capacity building programme of consumer commissions.

Putting impetus on 3Ts – technology, training and transparency, Goyal said that these parameters will spur greater awareness and lead to better service to consumers. Citing consumer empowerment at the centre of all government initiatives, he said that there will be an uptick in the disposal of pending cases at consumer forums in the coming days. 

Goyal further said that the department is working to deploy ‘convergence, capacity building and climate change’ in all its policy decisions to promote ease of doing business.

The theme of this year’s National Consumer Day was ‘Effective disposal of cases in consumer commission’. Besides Goyal, the event was also attended by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh, among others. 

A Slew Of Initiatives

The ‘Right To Repair’ is the Department of Consumer Affairs’ ambitious scheme that aims to allow customers to seek repairs of their devices elsewhere and reduce their overdependence on manufacturers.

Essentially, the portal will host product manuals, schematics and software updates that will allow customers to repair their devices on their own or through third parties, without having to depend on original manufacturers. 

At the outset, electronic items such as mobile phones, consumer durables, automobiles and farming equipment will be covered and will be gradually expanded to include other products .

With the framework, the Centre aims to ‘empower consumers and product buyers in the local market, harmonise trade between the original equipment manufacturers and the third-party buyers and sellers, emphasise on developing sustainable consumption of products and reduction in e-waste’.

The launch comes months after the Department of Consumer Affairs set up a panel to develop a comprehensive framework for the Right to Repair.

With this, India has joined a small group of territories including the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU) that have norms in place related to ‘Right To Repair’.

Besides, the launch also saw the unveiling of the e-Samadhan app which will disseminate information related to the functioning of the National Test House (NTH). Operating under the aegis of the department, the NTH performs high quality testing and evaluation of materials in almost all branches of engineering to enable applicants to maintain quality control and assurance regarding their products. 

The Indian electronics repair services industry has been growing at a massive speed and has spurred the local industry which has also prospered along the way. As per a report, India is reportedly standing on the verge of a $20 Bn market opportunity in the e-repair segment.