DE Web Desk
Jammu, Apr 3: The world famous Basohli Paintings from Kathua district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Wood Carving of Union Territory of Ladakh have received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.
The Geographical Indications (GI) is a form of Intellectual Property right that identifies goods originating from a specific geographical location and having distinct nature, quality and characteristics linked to that location.
The process for GI Tagging of these products was started by NABARD in consultation with and support from the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom in December 2020, during the difficult times of COVID.
The GI tags have now finally been granted to these products after a long legal process.
On March 31, 2023, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal congratulated the country on getting 33 GI tags, the highest ever in a single year, by tweeting through his official Twitter handle.
“These two products from UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh are included in that list of 33 products that have received the GI tag on March 31, 2023,” Anamika, Deputy General Manager, NABARD, Jammu and Kashmir said on Monday.
She said that this is the first time in the history of GI that the Jammu region and Ladakh got GI tags for handicrafts.
“Earlier GI tags were given to Kashmir handicrafts but they did not include Jammu and Ladakh,” she said adding that the Basohli painting of Kathua district is the first independent GI tag from the Jammu region whereas the Ladakh Wood Carving is the first handicraft of Ladakh to get a GI Tag.
“Now, only an authorised user has the exclusive rights to use the Geographical Indication in relation to these products. Due to this, no person can copy it from beyond their geographical areas,” the DGM added.
This will prevent unauthorized use of these registered Geographical Indication goods by third parties, will boost exports and promote their brands at the international level, thereby promoting the economic prosperity of producers and related stakeholders including contribution to the GDP of the country, she added.
Chief General Manager, NABARD, Dr. Ajay Kumar Sood thanked the departments concerned of the UT government, all the GI applicant organizations and especially the skilled leadership of the Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha.
Sood informed that seven more products of J&K are in the final stages of getting GI Tag, through NABARD’s support. He further informed that post-GI developmental projects will now be taken up for both the products for training and capacity building, brand building, improving marketability etc.
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