LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Industries and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal has inaugurated an online portal for the registration of complaints under the Punjab Consumer Protection Act, a statement said.

Now, the consumers can lodge complaints regarding substandard products and services through the mobile app, it added.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony at the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade, Iqbal said that the online platform for the registration of complaints was a step towards Digital Punjab.

There would be a mechanism for taking action against consumers who lodge false complaints, he said, adding that the timeline to redress the grievances would be further reduced after due consultation with the judiciary.

The minister said a system would be evolved to redress the consumers’ grievances through video-link, adding that the number of consumer courts would also be increased.

A targeted subsidy would be introduced for providing relief to the poor families, the minister said, adding that under the Ehsas programme, poor families could buy essential items at affordable prices through the facility cards and a price control authority would soon be established, he added.