New Delhi: A National Workshop on the Right to Repair Framework for the Mobile and Electronics Sectors was held by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) to discuss the challenges in repairing and reusing mobile and electronic products, a PIB press release stated.
The workshop began by addressing the issue of planned obsolescence. The practice of withholding essential information about repair and maintenance manuals, repair manuals/videos, and a lack of availability of spare parts by manufacturers, were discussed. This leads to consumers being forced to buy new products due to a lack of repair options or exorbitant repair costs.
Another major concern raised was the high cost of repairs, which can often result in consumer dissatisfaction and delays in repairing. The need for a reparability index, employment generation through Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and promoting India as a global repair hub were also addressed.
The government has already taken a significant step by launching the Right to Repair Portal India. The Right to Repair Portal India facilitates and catalyzes the provision of relevant repair-associated information between consumers and companies. It enables consumers to access product manuals, repair DIY videos, and information about spare parts.