Govt directive to stop unauthorized GI handloom products

16 Jan '16

2 min read

In the wake of complaints from various handloom associations/unions that fake or duplicate versions of popular Geographical Indications (GI) registered handloom products are being manufactured and sold in the market, the Textiles Ministry has instructed its officers in the Central and state governments to pay special attention to such complaints and take immediate action against unauthorized users of GI registered handloom products.

According to an official release, the Ministry has received complaints from various handloom associations/unions that duplicate versions of their GI registered handloom products are being manufactured and sold by some textile companies in the name of GI registered handloom products. This is hampering the niche market of their handloom products affecting their goodwill and shrinking their market value due to encroachment on their registered geographical indications.

As many as 48 traditional handloom products are registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. The Act provides them a kind of certification and exclusivity and safeguard the interests of genuine handlooms manufacturers by preventing unregistered people in the trade from using the GI registered labels to misguide the consume.

Registered users of GI registered products have rights under the provisions of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection), Act, 1999 to approach respective police authorities to safeguard their interests against such illegal manufacturing/marketing of GI registered handloom products.

An FIR was filed on December 17, 2015, in the Pochampally Police Station, Telangana by the authorized users of the GI registered handloom products of Pochampally Ikat sarees against the sellers/manufacturers for selling/manufacturing duplicate GI registered product. (SH)

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