Ritika
Lucknow: East to West, North to South. City after city and towns have some identity of their own. Don’t know since when this identity has become so attached to those places that as soon as the name of the concerned city and town is mentioned, the name of these things that have become their identity also emerges in the mind. Some even start to feel their taste and form.
For example, Agra is not only known for the Taj Mahal but also for its variety of flavored Pethas. Mathura, the holy land of Braj, is also famous for the sweetness of its trees along with Radha-Krishna. Not only the people around, but also the Buddhists going from Sarnath to Kapilvastu, Lumbini, Kushinagar are convinced by the sweet smell and sweetness of jaggery in Gotha town of Mau district of Purvanchal. Sandila ka laddu, khurja ka khurchan and many more such things have become synonymous with the respective city or town.
Initiative to expand the brand further in the country and the world
Yogi government is now preparing to make such things a brand. In a way, this is an initiative to further expand these things and the brand of Uttar Pradesh in the country and the world. Just like in 2018 some similar things were declared by the government by declaring one district one product (ODOP). This time also the method will be the same. Some of these things will be included in ODOP while some will be given GI tag (Geographical Indication) to further enhance their identity. This process has already started. With the expansion of ODOP along with serious initiatives to get GI tag to the above mentioned products.
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Listed over 100 products
It may be noted that a few days back, on the instructions of the Chief Minister, the government and the administration prepared a list of more than 100 such products for which initiative can be taken to get GI tag due to local merits. Out of all these products, 21 have been approved by the High Power Committee constituted in this regard. Lage Hath Additional Chief Secretary had also instructed the District Magistrates of the concerned districts to give applications in this regard soon. The committee will consider the next step on the remaining products. The products approved by the High Power Committee include Mentha of Barabanki and Rampur, Paniyala of Gorakhpur, Brinjal of Mau, Gajak of Meerut, Arhar Dal of Bundelkhand, Gulab Jal of Hathras, Gulkand, Boro Paddy of Ballia, Chicory of Etah, Farrukhabad’s Fulwa Potato, Fatehpur’s Malwa Peda, Sonbhadra’s Chironji, Kanpur’s Red Jowar, Mirzapur’s Jowar and Desi Bajra etc. are also included.
Benefits of GI
Geographical Indication provides legal protection to the product. Prevents the unauthorized use of a registered Geographical Indication by others. It promotes the economic prosperity of the producers of the goods produced in the respective geographical area.
