GI certificates for 3 textile products presented to State
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 30 2014 :
The Geographical Indication (GI) registration certificates for three handloom fabrics of the State, namely Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee and Moirang Phee were presented to State Commerce & Industries Minister K Govindas by Assistant Registrar of Trade Marks & GI Chinnaraja G Naidu today.
The certificates were presented during a mega awareness programme on "Handloom Schemes and GI Act" organized by Manipur Apex Handloom Weavers and Handicraft Artisans Co-operative Society Limited at the auditorium of MFDC, Palace Compound here.
The three Manipuri handloom fabrics, Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee and Moirang Phee were allotted the Geographical Indication No.371, 372 and 373 respectively by the Registrar of Patent & Geographical Indications, Government of India, Chennai sometime earlier.
Speaking on the occasion as Chief Guest, Commerce & Industries Minister K Govindas said that the recognition of Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee and Moirang Phee by Registrar of Patent & Geographical Indications is a matter of great honour for the people of Manipur as a whole.
The State Government is also planning to open up a separate Directorate of Handloom with the objective to develop and promote the handloom products of the State, Minister disclosed.
He also appealed to the weavers and artisans to produce quality handloom and handicraft products for export to other states and abroad.
With the registration for Geographical Indications, the State Government has to safeguard the interest of weavers/artisans of Shaphee Lanphee, Wangkhei Phee and Moirang Phee.
Internal watchdog mechanism would be set up by the State Government to maintain the quality and regulating the use of Geographical indications, Govindas said.
Further, the State Government would ensure for registration of minimum of 1000 producers for Shaphee Lanphee, 5000 for Wangkhei Phee and 1000 for Moirang Phee as the authorized users.
The Government would identify interested weavers for authorized users of these products and would select best from intending weavers, Minister noted.
The programme was also attended by Director of Commerce and Industries Department B John Tlangtinkhuma, Additional DC (Handloom) Jaya Dubey and General Manager of NABARD, Imphal M Soren.