From 5 to 22 Geographical Indication tags, Uttar Pradesh comes a long way

VARANASI: UP’s journey of getting Geographical Indication (GI) tags for its exclusive products that made a modest beginning during Mayawati’s regime, took a big leap when Akhilesh government came to power. Five GI tags out of 22 were granted during Mayawati’s period, while the state received 17 GI certificates during Akhilesh’s regime.
While Darjeeling Tea of West Bengal was the first to join the elite GI club in 2004-05, Allahabad surkha was the first from UP to join the league in 2007-08.Out of 22 products 17 come from handicraft sector, while three each from agricultural and manufacturing sectors. The eastern UP has emerged as a hub of GI tagged products (10 out of 22).
GI experts say that getting a GI tag has nothing do with the state governments, as it is an intellectual property right granted by GI Registry. Till date the promotion of GI-tagged goods has not been treated as a poll issue by the major political parties.
Alone in eastern UP approximately 1.5 million people are involved in handicraft and weaving sector that make an annual turnover of around Rs 18,000 crore. About 26% handicraft items come from UP, which is the highest in the country. But, it is unfortunate that no major political parties showed interest in including this sector that involves large number of people after agriculture in their poll planks, lamented a GI expert Dr Rajni Kant, who is instrumental in getting GI tags to fame products of this region. The migration of artisans still continues, as nothing significant was done for branding and promotion of the GI products by the state or central government, he said.
However, additional director (handicraft) BS Singh said initiatives are being taken for the promotion of handicrafts through Gandhi Shilp Bazar and exhibitions. The GI products will be given first preference for display at the craft museum being built at Bada Lalpur, said Singh. The Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid foundation stone at Bada Lalpur in November 2014, is near completion.
GI tag is a certification which indicates the distinctiveness of a product’s origin at a particular geographical location and guarantees its quality. The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999, came into force on 15 September, 2003 in the country.
According to records, so far 282 GI certificates have been granted to products of different geographical areas, out of them 22 belong to UP. During the Mayawati government five products including Allahabad surkha, Lucknow chikan craft, Mango Malihabadi Dusseheri, Banaras brocade and sarees and handmade carpet of Bhadohi joined the GI club between April 2007 and March 2011.
The maximum number of products were granted GI certificates from 2012-13 to till the date during Akhilesh Yadav government. These products include Agra Durrie, Farrukhabad prints, Lucknow zardozi, Banaras brocade & saree (logo), Kalanamak rice, Kannauj perfume, Kanpur saddlery, Moradabad metal craft, Saharanpur wood craft, Meerut scissors, Khurja pottery, Banaras gulabi meenakari craft, Varanasi wooden lacquerware & toys, Mirzapur handmade dari, Nizamabad black pottery, Banaras metal repouse craft and Varanasi glass beads.
“Eastern UP is emerging as a hub of GI products, as the certification of three more such products including soft stone undercut work, Ghazipur jute wall hanging, and Chunar sand stone is in the pipeline,” said Kant. adding that the Centre and state governments should take proactive measures for brand building, marketing linkage and design training in these sectors so that the artisans can get the real benefit of this certification.