Goa Breweries Join Hands with Deposit Refund Scheme Authorities Ahead of April Rollout
~ Industry representatives to work with System Administrator and Scheme Operator to resolve operational challenges; manufacturers urged to register before February 28 deadline.
Panaji, February 2026 — Renewed waste management efforts in Goa received a boost this week, with local breweries agreeing to work closely with authorities implementing the Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) to address operational challenges ahead of its statewide rollout. Nominated representatives from the Breweries Association of India will work directly with the Scheme Administrator and Scheme Operator to ensure operational readiness, including packaging compliance and container tracking systems, before the April 1, 2026 launch.
Scheme Administrator Dr Anthony de Sa has also urged all manufacturers to complete their registration under the scheme before the February 28 deadline to ensure a smooth transition. The appeal follows a strategic consultation with the Breweries Association of India, attended by Additional Commissioner of Excise Gaurish Sankhwalkar, where industry members expressed their support for the government’s environmental objectives while outlining implementation-related concerns.
To address these challenges, Dr de Sa suggested that the association nominate three industry representatives to work directly with the Scheme Operator. The joint effort will focus on critical operational areas, including the integration of QR codes on packaging to enable seamless identification and tracking of containers, along with resolving other logistical and compliance issues.
“The success of this environmental mandate relies on a shared vision. By having associations and the System Operator working together, we are co-creating a strategy that is both ambitious and practical. This ensures that the transition for breweries is manageable while we advance Goa’s environmental priorities,” said Dr Anthony de Sa, Chairman of the Scheme Administrator Committee.
Goa aims to eliminate glass, aluminium and plastic packaging litter across the state. Under the DRS scheme, items sold in non-biodegradable packaging in Goa will carry a refundable deposit which consumers can reclaim instantly upon returning the empty packaging.
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