Ministry of Consumer Affairs

September 24, 2026 1:31 PM

Govt Cuts Import Duty on Crude Edible Oils to Moderate Domestic Prices

In a bid to provide relief to consumers, the Government has reduced the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on major imported crude edible oils to help moderate domestic edible oil prices. The move is aimed at mitigating inflationary pressures arising from the sharp increase in international edible oil prices. The BCD on Crude Sunflower Oil has been reduced from 10% to Nil, while the BCD on Crude Soybean Oil and Crude Palm Oil has been reduced from 10% to 5%, according to a press release issued by the Min...

April 6, 2026 5:01 PM

India has food grain stock three times the existing buffer norms: Govt

C Shikha, Joint Secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, on Monday said that India has an adequate buffer stock of food grains, well above the prescribed norms. She stated that the country currently has around 222 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and approximately 380 LMT of rice, taking the total food stock to about 602 LMT. "We have adequate buffer stock of both wheat and rice, three times the buffer stock norms...

February 17, 2026 9:35 PM

AI Impact Summit 2026: India showcases AI-driven overhaul of public distribution system

India’s Department of Food and Public Distribution on Tuesday showcased a range of artificial intelligence-enabled and digital innovations aimed at transforming the country’s public distribution system at the India-AI Impact Summit and Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam. The exhibition pavilion, titled “AI-Empowered Innovations for Public Distribution,” has been jointly organised by the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribu...

February 13, 2026 4:00 PM

Centre approves wheat exports, allows additional sugar shipments

The Centre has approved the export of 25 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and an additional 5 LMT of wheat products after reviewing domestic availability and prices, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a statement on Friday. Citing higher stock availability, softening prices, expected higher production and the need to prevent distress sales during peak arrivals, the ministry said permitting wheat and wheat product exports would help stabilise domestic price...

September 7, 2025 4:16 PM

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi to inaugurate new chemical laboratory at NTH Ghaziabad

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will inaugurate the newly constructed state-of-the-art Chemical Laboratory at National Test House (NTH), Ghaziabad, during an event on September 10, 2025, in New Delhi, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. The lab will provide testing of packaged drinking water and natural mineral water, food packaging materials, enamelled and insulated wires made of aluminium and copper, coal, petroleum coke, bitu...

August 8, 2025 8:45 PM

Centre to release 3 lakh tonnes of buffer onion stock from September to keep prices stable

The Centre will begin the calibrated release of its onion buffer stock from September in a bid to maintain price stability, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution announced on Friday. The government has procured 3 lakh tonnes of onions this year under its price stabilisation buffer. Officials noted that unlike previous years, the prices of essential vegetables—particularly potatoes, onions, and tomatoes—have remained under control during the current monsoon season,...

March 27, 2025 2:19 PM

BIS cracks down on e-commerce giants for selling substandard products

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has intensified its enforcement actions against e-commerce platforms, with a series of raids aimed at cracking down on the sale of substandard products in violation of Quality Control Orders, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution on Thursday. In a major operation on March 19, the Delhi branch of BIS conducted a search and seizure at Amazon Sellers Pvt Ltd’s warehouse in the Mohan Cooperativ...

February 7, 2025 2:40 PM

AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline sees 10-fold surge in grievance calls

The Government of India’s Department of Consumer Affairs has launched an AI-enabled National Consumer Helpline (NCH) system that has revolutionized consumer grievance redressal. The adoption of this advanced system has led to a remarkable increase in consumer confidence, with the number of calls surging from 12,553 in December 2015 to an astounding 1,55,138 in December 2024—a more than tenfold rise, according to a press release from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distrib...

January 23, 2025 6:04 PM

Centre notifies rules for verified radar equipment to boost traffic enforcement

In an effort to help traffic personnel measure speed limits effectively, the government on Thursday notified rules for radar equipment for the measurement of speed of vehicles, under the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011. To help concerning industries comply with the provisions of rules, these guidelines will come into force from July 1, said the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in a statement. Verified and stamped radar equipment are crucial for applications like...