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GI tag for Mysore silk, Lucknow 'chikan', Bengali sweets

Last Updated 01 August 2016, 18:54 IST

From Mysore silk to Lucknow ‘chikan’ (embroidery), about hundred traditional crafts will have the Geographical Identification (GI) tag, thanks to the efforts of the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur.

The premier tech school’s intellectual property rights department has identified 100 such items, institute director P P Chakrabarti said.

The institute’s IPR cell identified these items from across India and includes food stuff like sweets from Bengal and bhujia from Rajasthan’s Bikaner.

The process of helping local communities to get the GI tag for these items would take place over the next three to five years, Chakrabarti said. The purpose of the project is to protect indigenous art forms restricted to particular parts of India, and help in creating markets for these products.

“We’ve identified 100 such items from all over the country and will file for the GI status on their behalf. The full process takes about two years,” he said.

He pointed out that the GI is different from other intellectual property rights since the tag calls for the use of local resources and looks at sustenance of people involved with the making of these items.

Items on the list
The list also includes intricately woven kangri baskets from Kashmir, among others.
Most food items, however, are from Bengal, including ‘goyna bori’ from East Midnapore and ‘moa’ from Joynagar in South 24 Parganas.

While ‘goyna bori’ is fritters made of ground lentils, which resembles women’s jewellery (goyna), ‘moa’ is a hand-rolled ball made up of puffed rice, emulsified milk and jaggery.

‘Sarpuria’ from Krishnanagar along with ‘sitabhog’ and ‘mihidana’ from Burdwan are also on the list.

While the Union government has plans to export sweets from Bengal, the GI tags for these delicacies would provide a major boost to the Centre’s initiative.

The GI is the process of identifying an item as originating in a territory, region or locality where the quality and other characteristics are unique to the geographical area.

Chakrabarti told reporters that once an item gets the GI tag, IIT-Kharagpur will fund custodians of these local art forms for the next five years to help revive these items.

Brand price
“The GI products today generate a premium brand price internationally,” Chakrabarti said.
Elaborating, the the tech school director said, “The GIs provide socio-economic value to the producers. GI rights are collective rights, which provide producers a distinct socio-economic advantage. Once they get a GI tag, it would contribute to local employment creation and sustenance of rural economy.”
DH News Service

Most food items are from Bengal, including ‘goyna bori’ from East Midnapore and ‘moa’ from Joynagar in South 24 Parganas. While ‘goyna bori’ is  fritter made of grounded lentils, which resemble women’s jewellery (goyna), ‘moa’ is a hand-rolled ball made of puffed rice, emulsified milk and jaggery

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(Published 01 August 2016, 18:54 IST)

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