National
‘Counterfeiting of goods could mar ‘Make in India’ campaign’
By Mayabhushan Nagvenkar
Panaji: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India campaign will succeed only if products manufactured in the country are reliable and authentic, a top official of a pan-India association of manufacturers of anti-counterfeiting solutions has said, adding that FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), especially packaged drinking water, were the most counterfeited in India.
Speaking to IANS after the annual general body meeting of the India-edition of Authentication Solution Providers Association (ASPA) in Goa, its president, U.K. Gupta, also said that authentication of goods using simple and cost-effective techniques such as holograms and tamper-proof seals would save the Indian economy several billion rupees annually.
“The Make in India campaign needs authentication of products to make it complete. A scenario where goods manufactured in India are counterfeited will only harm the campaign. There is a constant need to ensure that the Made in India label products are of highest quality, genuine and secured till delivered to the end consumer,” Gupta said.
Quoting statistics from a report of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Gupta said that in the financial year 2013-14, counterfeiting caused a loss of Rs.21,957 crore ($3.3 billion) to the FMCG packaged goods industry, while in the same year, counterfeiting and duplication of products caused a loss of Rs.39,239 to the state exchequer in forms of tax and duty evasion.
According to Gupta, counterfeiting in industries like FMCG (packaged and personal goods), mobile phones, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, auto components and computer hardware caused a cumulative loss of Rs.105,381 crore in 2013-14 to the companies involved in their manufacture.
“The matter is so serious that if no immediate measures are taken, then the counterfeit market will, in the next five years, grow beyond imagination and will cause a very substantial loss to the Indian Government, industry and may impact the health of consumers, as well as in their belief in Made in India products,” he said.
Nearly 70 manufacturers of authentication solution providers in India are members of the ASPA which is also affiliated with global associations such as the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), Counterfeit Intelligence Bureau (CIB) and Interpol. ASPA members protect over 10,000 brands worldwide through the identification of genuine products and documents.
Gupta said that the most successful case study vis-a-vis countering counterfeiting is of usage of authentication solutions by various state excise departments.
“In India, more than 22 states are already using approximately 20,000 million security hologram (tax stamps) on liquor bottles per annum. The usage of authentication solutions in states like Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh has not only minimized the tragedies due to spurious liquor but also increased excise revenue collections by more than 15-20 percent on a year-on-year basis,” he said.
“States like Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Rajasthan were not using any authentication solutions till date. It will help these states in curbing the inter-state smuggling of liquor which happens due to difference in excise duty rates,” he said.
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.
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