New Delhi, April 8 (NationPress) The illicit trade in India continues to function as a “shadow economy” that undermines consumer confidence, legitimate businesses, and public finances, stated Pralhad Joshi, the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, on Wednesday.

The goal extends beyond mere consumer protection; it emphasizes consumer prosperity. The minister highlighted initiatives such as the Central Consumer Protection Authority, the National Consumer Helpline, and the Jago Grahak Jago campaign as crucial steps in empowering citizens, as per a statement from FICCI.

During a seminar, the minister advocated for a more inclusive coalition, underscoring that it is the “shared responsibility of government, industry, and society” to tackle illicit trade.

Nidhi Khare, Secretary of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, remarked that consumer protection has transitioned from raising awareness to a technology-driven framework. “From ‘Jago Grahak Jago’ to AI-enabled grievance resolution, we are developing a system that is quicker, more efficient, and transparent,” she stated.

She acknowledged the progress in grievance resolution, noting that the response time has decreased from 63 days to approximately 21 days, and in some online instances, even within 72 hours.

“While e-commerce platforms operate at scale and necessitate ongoing regulatory interaction, they are increasingly enhancing their efforts—through actions like delisting and improved monitoring—to fight counterfeit goods,” the Secretary mentioned.

She called for a multi-faceted strategy, which includes stricter quality standards, support for MSMEs, enhanced platform accountability, and improved enforcement across both digital and physical marketplaces.

The seminar convened senior policymakers, judicial leaders, enforcement officials, industry representatives, and consumer organizations to discuss the escalating threat of illicit trade and the necessity for more robust consumer-focused frameworks.

“Smuggling and counterfeiting are primarily profit-motivated crimes. Disrupting their financial streams is vital for dismantling these networks, rather than merely intercepting shipments,” said P C Jha, Advisor at FICCI CASCADE and former Chairman of CBIC.

Anil Rajput, Chairman of FICCI CASCADE, called for more stringent enforcement of regulations and enhanced institutional collaboration due to the evolving challenges posed by illicit trade.

He emphasized the need for improved intelligence-sharing among agencies, stronger enforcement mechanisms, and greater utilization of technology to identify and prevent violations.

aar/pk