Banarasi paan among the 4 food items to get GI tag

Tags: National National News

Banarasi paan has been awarded the GI tag, which signifies its unique identity and origin. Three other foods from the Varanasi region, including Banarasi Langda Mango, Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal), and Adamchini rice, have also received the GI tag.

An Overview of the News

• Banarasi paan is a popular mouth-freshener made from betel leaves, betel nut, slaked lime and many other ingredients.

• Banarasi paan is an important part of the cultural heritage of the city of Varanasi, having its origins in the Mughal era.

• The inclusion of these four products takes the total number of GI-tagged products from the Kashi region alone to 22, highlighting the rich cultural and culinary heritage of the region.

• The GI tag provides an opportunity to the producers of Banarasi paan to market and promote it as a unique and authentic product from the Varanasi region while preserving the traditional skills and knowledge.

• The GI tag can also boost the local economy by promoting tourism and increasing demand for Banarasi Paan and other GI-tagged products from the region.

What is GI Tag?

• A Geographical Indication (GI) is a name or sign given to products coming from a specific geographical location.

• GIs certify that products have been made using traditional methods or have specific qualities due to their origin.

• GI is used for food, handicrafts and industrial products.

• GI tag ensures that only authorised users can use the name of the product.

Who grants and regulates Geographical Indications?

• Geographical Indications (GI) are a type of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) recognized and protected under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.

• The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) provides a framework for the protection of GIs at the international level.

• In India, the registration and protection of GI is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect in September 2003.

• The first product in India to receive the GI tag was Darjeeling tea, which was given GI tag in the year 2004-05.