Indian products with a geographical indication (GI) certification, such as Banarasi saris and Assam tea, will soon be displayed for sale at airports across the country at specified counters sharing the space with products from self-help groups, the Commerce & Industry Minister, Suresh Prabhu, has said.

“The Commerce & Industry Ministry is in talks with the Civil Aviation Ministry on display of GI products at airports together with products from self-help groups. Space at airports will be specifically earmarked only for these products,” Prabhu said at an event launching the GI logo and the GI tagline, ‘Invaluable Treasures of Incredible India’, on Wednesday.

The Ministry is also talking to the Indian Railways for displaying GI items at major platforms and is working with Nabard on creating a portal for these items. “All these efforts would ensure that GI products will get good push and lift in the domestic and global market,” Prabhu said.

GI certification is given to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

“The GI logo launched today will provide an identity and the tagline will capture the spirit of GI items from India. All Indian GIs can now be identified by a single logo,” pointed out Rajiv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion.

There are 320 items registered in the GI registry most of them from different States in India, but some from other countries too such as Italy and UK. These include saris, handicrafts, fabric, agarbatti, spices, rice, toys, chillies, mangoes, pasta and whiskey.

The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management under DIPP had launched a logo and tagline contest for GIs of India in October last year through mygov.in platform. About 918 entries for tagline and slogan and 383 entries for logo were received and the winners of logo and tagline contest were awarded Rs 50,000 each.

Published on August 2, 2018