Bhubaneswar: The state government has submitted the required documents for getting the Geographical Indication (GI) status for ‘Odishara Rasagola’, MSME Minister Prafulla Samal said Friday.
Replying to a written question of MLA Bhagirathi Badajena, the Minister told the Assembly that they have complied with the 14-point checklist sought from the office of the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai and all required documents have been submitted to the authority August 17. Notably, the Geographical Indications Registry, in the last week of June, had sought detailed information on 14 questions including submission of documentary proof that substantiates the origin of Odishara Rasagola in the state.“There is no proposal with the state government for getting the GI for Jagannath Rasagola,” he said.
The state PSU Odisha Small Industries Corporation (OSIC) had applied for the GI tag for ‘Odishara Rasagola’ in February this year. The state moved the GI Registry for its own version of the popular sweet after West Bengal was awarded the GI tag for its own variant ‘Banglar Rasagulla’ in November, 2017.
The minister also informed the House that the state has submitted its application for GI tag for turmeric of Kandhamal district to Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai in January 2018. The state has presented various documents before a special committee at GI New Delhi office last month and the panel has recommended GI tag for Kandhamal’s turmeric, Samal added. Earlier, GI tag had been provided to the Sambalpuri ties and dye saree and fabrics.
