Chandigarh, March 31: Punjab and Haryana boast of many locally produced unique goods by artisans. However, both the states are unable to reap the benefits due to low awareness about Geographical Indication (GI) tags. Of the expansive list of over 300 products that have been granted GI status in India, only one product i.e phulkari — Punjab’s traditional embroidery — carries the GI tag. Phulkari, made across Punjab and two districts in Haryana, namely Ambala and Hisar, carries the GI tag. In agriculture category, basmati from Punjab and Haryana carries GI tag along with Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and western Uttar Pradesh.
“It is beyond doubt that awareness is low. More eligible products like Panipat furnishing, Punjabi ‘jutti’, Patiala ‘salwar’ can be filed for GI tags. But at the same time, utmost care should be taken to educate the artisans to reap the benefits. The real purpose is preserving the art and at the same time the rural artisans should harvest the premium price associated with it,” said TK Rout, Deputy Director (market research), Textile Committee, Ministry of Textiles.
Taking a step in this direction and in order to increase the awareness, the Ministry of Textiles organised a one-day capacity-building here recently with a theme “IPR Protection through Geographical Indication (GI), Act and Post GI initiatives”.
The workshop was aimed at equipping the implementing agencies of the Central government like handlooms, handicrafts and Department of Handlooms and Textiles of the state governments with the knowhow on the Geographical Indications Act, 1999 and Post GI initiatives for safeguarding the interests of the grassroots level stakeholders associated with the unique handloom and handicraft products of the country.
As of date, 301 unique products of the country have been registered under the GI Act, 1999, out of which 151 belong to textiles and handicrafts. However, more eligible products may require such protection under the said Act, so as to contain the infringement and support the original stakeholders to harvest the premium price associated with it.
Dr Jatinder Kaur Arora, executive director, Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, said, “Since we have India’s first Technology & Innovation Support Centre set up by World Intellectual Property Organisation of United Nations here, we will help the agencies in GI filing and facilitating awareness workshops.”
Source Tribune India
