Sunday, September 20, 2009

Banarasi saree gets GI tag, joins club of protected goods

New Delhi, Sep 18 : Banarasi sarees - famous for their fine quality and elaborate patterns woven in silk and gold - have now joined the club of many protected goods that includes Tirupati Laddu and Darjeeling Tea as it has received a Geographical Indication (GI) status by the government.

The Chennai-based Geographical Indication Registry, the competent authority under Government of India, has issued the GI certificate for' Banaras Brocades and Sarees' this month.

After the grant of GI tag, no saree or brocade made outside the six identified districts of Uttar Pradesh can be legally sold under the name of Banaras Saree and Brocade.

GI tag would help genuine producers to legally counter increasing threats from sarees produced in other regions and countries, but sold in India under the tag of Banaras saree.

The application for GI registration of these products was filed by Banaras Bunkar Samiti, Human Welfare Association and six other organizations in July, 2007.

"GI certificate for Banaras saree and brocade can become an effective tool for economic empowerment of the weaver community," UNCTAD India's Deputy Project Coordinator Abhijit Das said.

UNCTAD and its partners have worked closely with weavers in Banaras and facilitated the process of GI registration.

"We dedicate this recognition to millions of weavers of UP, who are engaged in production of products," Rajani Kant, Director of Human Welfare Association, one of the applicants, said.

GI tag for Banarasi saree would help the weavers of the region to commercially leverage for enhancing their incomes.

GI is an Intellectual Property Right which identifies a good as originating in a certain region where a given quality, or reputation of the product is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

The GI certificate not only recognises the uniqueness and distinct identity of Banaras sarees, but also of related products such as silk brocades, dress material, bed and table.

The products are manufactured in the traditional manner by weavers in Varanasi, Azamgarh, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Mirzapur and Sant Ravi Dass Nagar (Bhadohi).

"At present, sarees produced in Bhagalpur (Bihar), Surat and Bangalore are also sold as Banarasi sarees.I hope this can be stopped once we get the tag," Rajni Kant added

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