Coca Colas Entry To The Indian Marketplace

Coca Cola staff

Naresh Chandra (Chairman): Former Ambassador of India to the US during the trying times of Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, dealing with the Nuclear Tests. Recently, he headed the Government of India committee on Corporate Governance. Other offices held by him include Governor of Gujarat, senior advisor to the Prime Minister. In 1990 he became Cabinet Secretary, the highest post in the Indian Civil Service.

Jus. B. N. Kirpal: Former Chief Justice of India and currently the Chairman of the National Forest Commission, an autonomous body, under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. He has been a judge for over 15 years, starting from the Delhi High Court, and was elevated as the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court in 1993 before being promoted to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India. He retired as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India. Known as an environmental judge for his keen judicial activism in the area of Environment and Forestry and regarded as an environment savior.

* http://www.coca-colaindia.com/about_us/corporate-governance/default.asp

They are regular whipping boys for politicians who regard Western food products as a threat to Indian heritage, although sceptics suggest that their opposition has more to do with the companies' virtual monopoly of the market than genuinely held feelings of cultural protectionism.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4789615.stm

CII - ICRISAT & Coca-Cola Foundation Collaboration for Backward Areas Development through Strategic Intervention in Watershed Development

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Coca-Cola Foundation will collaborate for sustainable and equitable management of Rural Water Resources Infrastructure and other Natural Resources Management (NRM) through "watershed "interventions in Dungarpur district in Rajasthan and Thirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu.

The objective of the collaboration is to improve the livelihood of poor and marginal farmers in the project villages. Further, this is also to evolve a strategy for rapid up scaling in the region such that optimum scales required for translating development interventions in to significant enhancements of land & water use productivity, agri production and rural incomes are achieved. This will be through plugging gaps in soil and water conservation projects, creating water access for poorly endowed families and efficient use of rainwater for improved agricultural practices. The farmers' income will be further enhanced through diversification into high-value water efficient crops.

The collaboration is expected to lead to a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between ICRISAT and CII, which will provide a framework for cooperation on NRM and related activities in rainfed areas. ICRISAT and CII will undertake action-research on rainfed agriculture, conjunctive use of water resource and development of policy and institutions for sustainable & equitable management of water and other natural resources. Training and capacity building of target communities will be an important part of this project.

Within the framework of the MoA the Coca-Cola Foundation's financial support will be used to implement " watershed " interventions in Dungarpur and Thirunelveli districts. The Coca-Cola Foundation -- supported by the Company and its bottling partners - works around the world to improve the quality of life in their communities.

According to Dr William Dar, Director General of ICRISAT, the collaboration with CII and the Coca Cola Foundation will strengthen the institute's partnership with the private sector to help the farmers in the drylands of India. This collaboration will add to ICRISAT's public-private partnerships, which include collaboration on watershed development with the Sir Dorabjee Tata Trust and the TVS Agricultural Science Research Institute."

According to Mr. S. Sen, Dy. Director General, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), "The CII slogan for the year 2005-06 was 'Inclusive growth' and a number of initiatives have been taken by CII in the Private-Public partnership model to improve the livelihoods of the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP). CII believes that a third category of partners i.e., knowledge partner is required to provide science and technology inputs. This project being presented here is a first step in this direction."

These projects have evolved through CII initiative and it will be facilitating the smooth execution of these projects. CII appreciates the efforts of Coca-Cola India to help forge this linkage between Coca-Cola Foundation and ICRISAT.

According to Mr. Deepak Jolly, Vice-President, Public Affairs & Communication, Coca-Cola India, "A rapidly growing population, increasing food requirements and improved lifestyles along with industrial development in the country has resulted in competing demand for finite water resources. To achieve food and fodder security and to tackle the water scarcity problem in the country demands efficient use of rainwater and an overall water