In addition to Banarasi paan and langda mango, two other products from the region, Ramnagar Bhanta (brinjal) and Chandausi's adamchini chawal (rice), have been designated as GI. Aligarh Tala, Bakharia Brassware, Banda Shazar Patthar Craft, Nagina Wood Craft, Pratapgarh Aonla, and Hathras Hing are among the recently added products from Varanasi to the GI Registry list.
A geographical indication (GI) tag is a label that appears on locally manufactured goods that have a specified geographical origin and feature traits that are unique to that origin. If a product is a specialty of a specific location, it can be issued a GI tag. Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to receive a GI tag when they were initially introduced in 2003.
The recognition of the GI tag is a significant milestone for everyone involved in the cultivation and marketing of these commodities. "All four goods are related to agriculture and horticulture. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Uttar Pradesh government were instrumental in obtaining the GI tags," as per Dr Rajnikant, a GI specialist.
He noted that the trade of the four items employs over 20 lakh people and generates an annual revenue of around Rs 25,500 crore. Previously, the GI Registry assigned the classification to two types of betel leaf. The first is Bihar's Maghai paan, a peculiar kind grown in four regions of the state that commands a high price. The second is the Mahoba Desawari paan, which grows in UP's Mahoba district and Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur.
In recent years, the Uttar Pradesh government has attempted to promote and get GI tags for regional specialties such as Banarasi sarees and metal crafts through its One District One Product (ODOP) scheme.
Banaras Brocade and Banarasi Saree, wooden toys, metal repoussé craft items, soft stone Jali craft, Gulabi Meenakari, hand block print, wood carving, and glass beads are among the 15 handloom and handicraft items that already have the GI tag. They are produced by local craftsmen living in various areas of Varanasi.
PM Narendra Modi, who represents the Varanasi constituency, has been attempting to promote local Varanasi items on a global scale. On his visit to the G7 summit, he presented GI items to foreign officials, including Banarasi Gulabi Meenakari and wood carving.
