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With GST reforms underway, NCH receives significant grievances related to milk pricing
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Wednesday, 08 October, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
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With the Next-Generation GST Reforms 2025, the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has so far received 3,981 GST-related dockets, comprising 31 percent queries and 69 percent grievances with a significant number of the latter related to milk pricing.
According to the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, it was keeping a close watch on these dockets for their early resolution & clarification. The grievances have been escalated to the concerned brand owners or e-commerce entities for quick action. Further, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated detailed review of these grievances for initiating class action, wherever necessary.
The consumer affairs department stated that a major share of grievances pertained to milk pricing. A large number of consumers approached NCH with the belief that following the GST reform, milk companies were required to reduce the prices of fresh milk. Consumers complained that milk companies were continuing to charge pre-reform prices, thereby denying them the benefit of the reduced GST rate. CCPA, after examining the issue, has found that fresh milk is already exempt from GST. The recent GST rate reforms have exempted UHT milk too.
Further, a significant portion of the complaints highlighted misperceptions regarding commodities that had witnessed GST reductions and which did not. CCPA’s analysis, therefore, serves both as a clarificatory intervention and as a reaffirmation of its mandate to protect consumers from misinformation, unfair trade practices, and lack of transparency.
Meanwhile, out of the total, 1,992 GST-related grievances have been forwarded to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for appropriate action, while 761 grievances have been referred in real-time to the concerned convergence companies for resolution.
"CCPA continues to closely monitor the handling of these complaints and will initiate further proceedings wherever violations of consumer rights are established," reads a statement issued by the Government while adding that clarification has been issued regarding fresh milk, electronic goods, LPG, and petrol.
The Government statement adds that the Central Consumer Protection Authority assures the public that it is monitoring grievances on a real-time basis, clarifying misunderstandings, addressing genuine complaints, and standing vigilant against any attempt to exploit consumers. As the GST regime evolves, this collaborative approach between citizens and institutions will ensure that reforms achieve their intended objective of fairness, transparency, and empowerment for every Indian consumer.
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