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Report of the Managing Committee for the year 2018-19
It gives me great pleasure to present the report of the Managing Committee of the Indian Beverage Association (IBA) for the year 2018-19. As Members are aware, IBA was established in 2010 to meet the need for an industry body focussed on the issues and requirements of the non-alcoholic beverage industry. It has been discharging this role with increasing relevance and effectiveness in these years, having created a space for itself as a representative body of this sector in the country through furthering the interests and projecting the problems, issues and concerns of its Members and of the industry. The endeavours of the Association in taking up with various authorities matters of common interest and concern have had beneficial outcomes. It is a matter of satisfaction and gratitude for the Association that the views and issues projected by it have been accorded careful consideration by the various authorities. The Managing Committee met four times during the year when, apart from deliberation on the course to be followed in respect of issues of immediate relevance and providing guidance to the IBA Secretariat regarding different matters, a review of the Association’s activities was also undertaken. Early in the year under review, Bisleri International joined IBA as Associate Member on July 25, 2018, followed by Manpasand Beverages on November 2, 2018 and by NourishCo Beverages on December 14, 2018. Membership of the Association stood at 27 as on March 31, 2019, comprising 8 Subscriber Members and 19 Associate Members. I am happy to mention that, since March, 2019, Varun Beverages became Associate Member on July 20, 2019. A warm welcome to Varun Beverages, too. It goes without saying that with each new Member, the Association gets enriched and acquires a more meaningful existence. The year under review was dominated by steps in several parts of the country by State Governments in respect of plastics, particularly of the one-time use variety. It began with a virtual bomb-shell in Maharashtra on March 23, 2018 and continued in various forms in Odisha, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. IBA reacted and represented appropriately in each of these States with, we believe, a fair measure of success. IBA has been continuing to interact with regulatory bodies like FSSAI and the Bureau of Indian Standards to project the views and concerns of the Members in respect of measures and regulations proposed for implementation and enforcement by these bodies. Responses from IBA are invariably finalised and sent after a process of consultation with the Members. In a development of some significance, IBA was asked for its views by the Department-related Standing Committee of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.in respect of specified items relating to the functioning of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India The response of the Association was sent to the Parliamentary Committee after due consultation within the membership of IBA and it is a matter of some gratification that IBA’s views found mention in the Report of the Committee which was tabled in both Houses of Parliament in August, 2018. A highlight of the year was the Seminar on Beverage Sampling and Testing Methodology which was organised by IBA on February 25-26, 2019 in association with FSSAI and in partnership with AOAC India Section where CEO, FSSAI delivered the Keynote Address. Besides participation by senior functionaries of FSSAI, officials from State Laboratories took part in the Seminar in sizeable number as also in the hands-on training the following day at the very well-equipped laboratory of Agilent Technologies in Manesar. It may be added that leading lights of the industry, of the scientific community and academia took part in the Seminar and contributed greatly to the quality and content of the deliberations. IBA is extremely grateful to FSSAI and AOAC India Section for enabling this event of great relevance to the industry. The report of the Secretary General for the year 2018-19 is also being presented on this occasion and contains in detail the activities of IBA during this period. The Managing Committee places on record its abiding commitment to providing good and effective services to the Members and towards endeavouring to promote the interests of the non-alcoholic beverage industry for it to serve the consumer in increasingly beneficial ways. Sd.- September 17, 2019 |
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