Assam's Gamosa, Telangana's Tandur Redgram, Ladakh's Apricot get GI tag

Assam’s distinctive symbol of their identity and culture, the Gamosa, the Tandur Redgram of Telangana, and an apricot variety of Ladakh have all been granted the Geographical Indications (GI) tag by the government. With these new additions, the commerce and industry ministry said on Wednesday (December 14) that the total number of GIs has reached 432.

“The famous Gamosa of Assam, Tandur Redgram of Telangana, RaktseyKarpo Apricot of Ladakh, Alibag White Onion of Maharashtra have got their GI tags,” said the ministry.
The top five states holding maximum number of GIs are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, it added.

Recently, the government has supported the promotion of GIs by approving an expenditure of ₹75 crore for three years for the creation of awareness programmes. A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicraft and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.

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Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin. There is a proper process of registration of GI products, which includes filing of application, preliminary scrutiny and examination, show cause notice, publication in the geographical indications journal, opposition to registration, and registration.

Any association of persons, producers, organisation or authority established by or under the law can apply. The applicant must represent the interest of the producers.

The famous items which carry GI tag include basmati rice, Darjeeling tea, Chanderi fabric, Mysore silk, Kullu shawl, Kangra tea, Thanjavur paintings, Allahabad surkha, Farrukhabad prints, Lucknow zardozi and Kashmir walnut wood carving.