Government Urges States to Adopt eMaap Portal for Consumer Protection

New Delhi, April 25 (NationPress) Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Nidhi Khare, on Friday urged the Legal Metrology departments across states to synchronize their enforcement regulations with the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, and to integrate the eMaap portal within a month to enhance consumer protection.

During a roundtable conference, she informed the states that the updated deadline for implementing the amended Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 is set for July 1.

The Secretary recommended that state authorities prioritize effective enforcement rather than focusing solely on revenue, thus ensuring enhanced consumer protection through better compliance with the Legal Metrology Act and associated rules.

The eMaap portal, developed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, serves as the National Legal Metrology Portal.

This initiative aims to streamline legal metrology processes, promote fair trade practices, and bolster consumer protection. By integrating state-level metrology systems into a cohesive national platform, eMaap simplifies procedures for businesses, enhances efficiency, and encourages transparency.

Khare highlighted the vital role of legal metrology departments in states and Union Territories (UTs), which are responsible for ensuring measurement accuracy for consumers.

Stressing the importance of accurate weights and measures, she noted that India has reached a significant milestone by becoming the 13th country to issue OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) certificates, showcasing the nation's dedication to upholding international standards.

Khare also mentioned that the decriminalization of sections of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 would remove obstacles, stimulate business growth, and allow citizens and businesses to operate without the fear of imprisonment for minor infractions.

In her keynote address at the Round Table Conference on "Ease of Doing Business and Protection of Consumer Rights", the Secretary underscored the necessity of leveraging advanced IT technology to enhance efficiency and ensure precise measurements.

Bharat Khera, Additional Secretary at the Department of Consumer Affairs, emphasized the significance of establishing a platform for knowledge sharing and collaborative policy formulation. He also called upon state officers to avoid procedural breaches and maintain principles of fairness and transparency.

The Joint Controller (Legal Metrology) of Andhra Pradesh provided a virtual presentation showcasing key initiatives such as geo-tagging and calibration of weighbridges aimed at safeguarding farmers.

He also stressed the effective enforcement of Rule 9 under the AP Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, 2011 in the trade of gold and precious metals, ongoing updates to fuel dispensing units with anti-tampering technology, improvements to OVR, GVR, and MIDCO systems, simplification of the licensing process, introduction of user-friendly tools for net content checks, development of standard operating procedures, and precise milk procurement practices.

A representative from Uttar Pradesh shared insights on best practices and actions taken against E-commerce platforms and their warehouses for violations of the Act and Rules.

He reported that a total of 516 cases regarding declarations of e-commerce websites were registered, of which 364 cases were compounded, resulting in the recovery of approximately Rs 11 crore as compounding fees during 2024-25.

Other states, including Odisha, Punjab, and Goa, also presented their best practices related to Legal Metrology.

The conference attracted around 250 participants, including Controllers of Legal Metrology from various states and representatives from major industry associations such as FICCI, CII, Retailers Association of India, ASSOCHAM, and PHD.