New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a UPI-type protocol, needs to create consumer trust through robust mechanisms for ensuring grievance redressal of consumers, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

The minister was speaking at a meeting to review the progress of Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

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In April, India launched the pilot phase of ONDC in five cities with an aim to democratise fast growing e-commerce sector, help small retailers and reduce the dominance of online retail giants.

"ONDC must create consumer trust through robust mechanisms for ensuring redressal of grievances of consumers and enforcing transparent policies for returns, refunds and cancellations," Goyal said.

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Since the pilot phase launch in five cities, ONDC has been testing with a closed user group for end to end execution to understand their fulfilment.

It expects the number of network participants (means seller and delivery apps) to substantially increase to more than 30 in the coming weeks.

So far about 220 seller apps have been onboarded.

Goyal emphasised that ONDC should work in active cooperation with traders and industry associations to implement the network at the ground level.

He also directed the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to work with all states to create awareness about the utility of ONDC and devise programmes in collaboration with them so that small traders, artisans, handicraftsmen, farmers, MSMEs are able to take full advantage of this open network.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)