(a) whether the Government has issued any guidelines to the companies, hotels and restaurants located in States to display easily visible and comprehensible information that service charge is voluntary;
(b) whether the Government has set up any agency to ensure its compliance in Rajasthan, if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the number of complaints received so far by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a) : In December, 2016, the Department of Consumer Affairs issued an advisory to State Governments to advise the hotels and restaurants to disseminate information through display at the appropriate place in hotels/restaurants that the service charges are discretionary/ voluntary and a consumer dissatisfied with the services can have it waived off. Further, the Department issued guidelines on service charge to all the State Governments/UTs vide circular No. J-24/9/2014-CPU dated 21.4.2017 which is at Annexure.
(b) : No, Madam.
(c) : 591 complaints from April 2017 till 20th February 2018 with regard to service charges have been received in National Consumer Helpline run by the Department.
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