Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed happiness about GI Tag for Ladakh's Wood Carving, a first of its kind.
Replying to the tweet by Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, the Prime Minister said: ”This will make Ladakh’s cultural traditions even more popular and benefit artisans.”
The world famous Basohli Paintings from Kathua district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Ladakh Wood Carving of Union Territory of Ladakh have received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag last week.
A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on a product that has a special geographical origin. In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place. It provides a legal protection to the products and prevents their unauthorised use.
The process for GI Tagging of these products was started by NABARD in consultation with and support from the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom in December 2020.
The GI tags have now finally been granted to these products after a long legal process.
Out of the 33 GI tags that India got this year, these two products from UT of Jammu and Kashmir and UT of Ladakh made it to the list.
Earlier GI tags were given to Kashmir handicrafts but they did not include Jammu and Ladakh,” she said adding that the Basohli painting of Kathua district is the first independent GI tag from the Jammu region whereas the Ladakh Wood Carving is the first handicraft of Ladakh to get a GI Tag.
“Now, only an authorised user has the exclusive rights to use the Geographical Indication in relation to these products. Due to this, no person can copy it from beyond their geographical areas,” officials said.
This will prevent unauthorized use of these registered Geographical Indication goods by third parties, will boost exports and promote their brands at the international level, thereby promoting the economic prosperity of producers and related stakeholders including contribution to the GDP of the country, she added.