Odisha to seek GI status for its version of rasagolla

The Odisha government said today it would soon seek a Geographical Indication tag for its version of rasagolla, hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the state had been granted the GI status for the popular sweet.
The Odisha government was in the process of obtaining a GI status for the 'Odishara Rasagolla', the origin of which dates back to more than 800 years, it said.
"It has come to our notice that Banglar Rasagolla has been registered with Geographical Indication (GI) on an application filed by the government of West Bengal," the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

In the backdrop of a statewide cry over West Bengal getting the GI tag for rasagolla, Odisha Finance Minister Sashibhusan Behera said: "Where is the question of winning or defeating? We have not yet applied for the GI tag for Pahal Rasogolla."
Pahal is a place between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and is considered the rasagolla hub of Odisha.
"Our petition is under process and the Odisha government will soon make a move," Behera told reporters here.
Odisha's MSME Minister Prafulla Samal said the state government would urge officials of Chennai-based GI Registrar to visit Odisha for verification of the origin of rasagolla.

Samal said rasagolla originated in the state and it is being offered at Sri Jagannath Temple since 12th century.