Bihar handloom weavers seek Geographical Indication (GI) tag

A group of handloom weavers' cooperative unions in Bihar has approached the Chennai based Indication Registry seeking a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for "silk fabrics and sarees" produced in Bhagalpur region in Bihar.
    
The Bhagalpur Regional Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Union and six other organisations filed an application to the registry, the competent body under the Central government, for securing a GI tag to the silk fabrics and sarees of Bhagalpur recently.
   
"The GI status would legally prohibit others to sell sarees and fabrics made at places other than Bhagalpur under the same brand," a cluster development executive of a local organisation in Bhagalpur, Dhananjay Kumar said.
     
The status would come in handy for economic empowerment of the weavers' community, he said.