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A common charger for your iPhone, your Android tablet and your Windows 11 laptop? That’s not quite possible yet, but this is what the future could look like.
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has written to industry and other concerned stakeholders, inviting them to brainstorm a plan for having one cable for charging all your devices.
The ministry’s move comes in the backdrop of the concept of LiFE — Lifestyle for the Environment — announced by the Prime Minister at the UN Climate Change Conference (CoP 26) held in Glasgow in November last year. Besides, the Union Cabinet has also approved India’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). According to the NDC, India has committed to reducing the emission intensity of the GDP by 45% by 2030. In view of the country’s commitment to fight climate change, the ministry has taken a step in the direction to reduce electronic waste.
What does the letter say?
In the letter to the industry and other stakeholders, Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Rohit Kumar Singh, said that it has been observed that due to the incompatibility of charging ports between old and new devices, consumers are forced to buy a separate charger and cable every time they purchase a new gadget. Not only do consumers face inconvenience, this also adds to avoidable e-consumption, the letter says. Based on this rationale, the government wants to brainstorm the possibility of ending the redundancy of having multiple chargers in every household.
The ministry has invited representatives of industry bodies and other stakeholders including the Electronics Products Innovation Consortium (EPIC) Foundation; Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT); Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI); Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM); Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA); Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA). Apart from these institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur; the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi; and the India Cellular & Electronics Association have also been invited.
The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has written to industry and other concerned stakeholders, inviting them to brainstorm a plan for having one cable for charging all your devices.
The ministry’s move comes in the backdrop of the concept of LiFE — Lifestyle for the Environment — announced by the Prime Minister at the UN Climate Change Conference (CoP 26) held in Glasgow in November last year. Besides, the Union Cabinet has also approved India’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). According to the NDC, India has committed to reducing the emission intensity of the GDP by 45% by 2030. In view of the country’s commitment to fight climate change, the ministry has taken a step in the direction to reduce electronic waste.
What does the letter say?
In the letter to the industry and other stakeholders, Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Rohit Kumar Singh, said that it has been observed that due to the incompatibility of charging ports between old and new devices, consumers are forced to buy a separate charger and cable every time they purchase a new gadget. Not only do consumers face inconvenience, this also adds to avoidable e-consumption, the letter says. Based on this rationale, the government wants to brainstorm the possibility of ending the redundancy of having multiple chargers in every household.
The ministry has invited representatives of industry bodies and other stakeholders including the Electronics Products Innovation Consortium (EPIC) Foundation; Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT); Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI); Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM); Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA); Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA). Apart from these institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur; the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi; and the India Cellular & Electronics Association have also been invited.