Orissa identifies 8 handloom products for GI registration

With a view to empower the economically backward weaver community in Orissa, the state textile and handlooms department has identified eight handloom sub-products in the Orissa Ikat category for geographic indications (GI) registration.

“We are planning to go ahead with GI registration of eight handloom sub-products which includes Sambalpuri tie and dye, Nuapatna tie and dye, Bomkai design, Pasapalli design, Khandua fabrics at Nuapatna, Berhampur kumbha sarees, Dholapathar temple designs and Gita Gobinda designs”, said LK Nayak, director of the state textiles and handlooms department.

The textiles and handlooms department plans to engage IIT Kharagpur for providing assistance for getting these products registered with the GI registry in Chennai.

IIT Kharagpur will provide the requisite training to 30 officers of the textiles and handlooms directorate and the institute will also conduct awareness camps in the regions known for these products for the benefit of the producers, Nayak added.

He was speaking at a roadshow on Indo-US initiatives and perspectives on Geographical Indications: Need for Protection and Enforcement, jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the United States Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Speaking on the occasion, P Nayak, the director of market research committee of the Union Government said, “We have identified 96 textile products for GI registration and there are 150 other potential products in the textile sector for GI registration. GI registration will help in empowerment of economically backward and weaker sections engaged in the preparation of such products.”

At present, 96 products are registered with the GI registry in Chennai while 128 new applications are pending before it.

Commenting on the US perspective for GI registration and enforcement, Dominic Keating, the first secretary for intellectual property in US Embassy, New Delhi said, “US government protects GIs and trademarks under the same trademark system as both serve the same function. The GI registration system includes trademarks and certification marks and the certification marks can be owned by government agencies, individuals and private organisations or associations.”

The enforcement of GIs has two important facets- commercial and legal. While the commercial facets includes promotional campaigns, quality focus, generating awareness among all business stakeholders and promotion of consumer awareness through GI awareness, the legal facets include cross border protection, keeping a tab on counterfeit products and taking infringement action by the producers.

GIs originate form a definite geographical territory and it is used to identify agricultural, natural or manufactured goods and examples of Indian GIs include Darjeeling Tea, Basmati rice, Kanchipuram silk saree, Alphonso mango and Nagpur oranges to name a few.