Banarasi Paan, Langada mango, among others get the GI tag
What's the story
Here's some good news coming in from Uttar Pradesh.
The state's most coveted and celebrated items, 10 of them, have been awarded the GI (Geographical Indication) tag on April 3 this year.
With this, they now qualify as commodities that have qualities unique to the particular region.
Are you excited to know which items got the GI tag?
Concept
Banarasi paan, Langada mango have been awarded GI tags
Garnering the spotlight for their delectable taste and appeal, both Banarsi paan and Langada mango have been awarded GI status.
As per Padma Awardee GI expert Dr. Rajinikant, this list also includes other popular Varanasi-based offerings including Ramnagar bhanta (brinjal) and Adamchini rice.
With this, Langada mango will now even occupy shelves in the international markets.
Other products
These products from UP have also received the recongnition
The list of newly-certified goods also includes Aligarh Tala, Bakhira brassware, Banda Shazar Patthar Craft, Hathras hing, Nagina wood craft, and Pratapgarh Aonla.
Per Dr. Rajnikant, some of these items are ODOP products, while others are agricultural produce.
The UP Government's One District-One Product Programme (ODOP) encourages indigenous and specialized products and crafts not found anywhere else - like chikankari and zari-zardozi work.
Achievement
UP now has 45 GI-tagged products in total
With this latest development, Uttar Pradesh has a total of 45 GI-tagged products, of which 21 alone are from Varanasi.
For this accomplishment, Dr. Rajnikant also extended his warmest gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his continuous efforts in promoting GI products.
He also credited CM Yogi Adityanath for the 'One District One Product' scheme that brought laurels to the city.
Cost
These products generate yearly revenue of approximately Rs. 25,500 crore
According to the GI expert, these newly GI-tagged products generate an annual turnover of Rs. 25,500 crore approximately.
And to produce them, about 20 lakh people work together in Varanasi and eastern UP.
The state is now looking forward to receiving GI tags for a few other products including Banaras lal peda, Banarasi thandai, Tirangi barfi, and Banaras lal bharwa mirch.
Pan-India achievement
The registry has awarded GI tags to 441 Indian products
So far, the GI registry which is located in Chennai has recognized a whopping 441 Indian products.
On March 31 this year, 33 products pan-India were given the GI certification on a single day.
The top four Indian states with the maximum number of GI-tagged products in their kitty are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala.
Importance of GI
Why does Geographical Indication matter?
Geographical Indication is used to identify a product's particular geographical origin, which has unique qualities and reputation.
The registration of GI aids in the prevention of unauthorized use by offering legal protection.
This tag represents an assurance of excellence and uniqueness, which is primarily due to its origin in that specified geographical region.
Darjeeling tea and Mysore silk are two popular registered GIs.