The dispute between Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Punjab on the issue of GI tag (geographical indication) of Basmati rice has now reached the Prime Minister’s office. Controversy continues over Chief Minister Captain Amarinder`s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he had stated that Madhya Pradesh does not fall in the Basmati growing area. Shivraj Singh Chsuhan, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh retaliated by saying that Captain Amrinder Singh’s move is politically motivated.
On this matter, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has said, “I condemn the letter written to the Prime Minister by the Congress government of Punjab. I wish to question the Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, as to what hostility he has with the farmers of Madhya Pradesh? It is not a matter of Madhya Pradesh or Punjab, it deals with the interest of farmers of the entire country and their livelihood.”
What is a GI tag?
The GI tag was included as Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) under the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Internationally the GI tag is regulated by the World Trade Organization (WTO). In India, GI tags are regulated under the Geographical Indication of Items (Registration and Protection) Act 1999. The Geographical Indication of Items (Registration and Protection) Act came into force from 15 September 2003. To get GI tag rights, one has to apply to the GI tag database in Chennai. Once the GI tag is granted, they are valid for 10 years. After that, they have to be renewed again.
What are the benefits of getting the GI tag?
It provides legal protection to Indian Geographical Indications thus preventing unauthorized use of the registered GIs by others. It promotes the economic prosperity of producers of goods produced in a geographical territory. The GI protection in India leads to recognition of the product in other countries thus boosting exports.
What items does this tag get?
The GI tag is like a logo for any product. GI tags in India are given for a particular crop – natural and manufactured products. Many times more than one state is also given a GI tag for the same crop. For example, Basmati rice, under the GI tag, falls under the rights of the state of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand etc.
As per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, GI tagging can be issued for agricultural commodities which are related to a particular country or region where the quality, reputation or other characteristics of such goods are mandatory. In other states, the GI tag has been given to Basmati based on traditionally grown regions as it differs due to particular aroma, quality and taste.
