India plans to introduce ‘Right to Repair’ framework to help users fix gadgets independently
The committee emphasised the need of giving customers the opportunity to choose how they have their devices repaired, citing practises like as deliberate obsolescence and the development of monopolies on spare parts.
FollowThe Union government is developing a "Right to Repair" framework to reduce restrictive restrictions implemented by some manufacturers, allowing consumers to repair things like as consumer durables, phones, and vehicles on their own. A government committee formed to provide a "complete framework" for the Right to Repair met for the first time on Wednesday and selected "key areas" to execute it.
"The sectors highlighted are Farming Equipment, Mobile Phones/Tablets, Consumer Durables, and Automobiles/Automobile Equipment," the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in a statement on Thursday.
The committee emphasised the need of giving customers the opportunity to choose how they have their devices repaired, citing practises like as deliberate obsolescence and the development of monopolies on spare parts.
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It also highlighted how consumers frequently lose their right to claim a warranty if they have a product fixed by a "non-recognized" company. According to the statement, components and tools for servicing devices, including diagnostic tools, should be made available to third parties, including individuals, so that small flaws in the product can be fixed.
Many governments throughout the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, have recognised the right to repair. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission has instructed manufacturers to correct unfair anti-competitive practises and to ensure that consumers may undertake repairs themselves or through third parties.
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According to the statement, once implemented in India, the framework would be a "game changer" for product sustainability and a driver for job creation. Nidhi Khare, Additional Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, chairs the committee. It also includes representatives from business and consumers, as well as academics and government authorities.
