Baksa (Assam) [India], September 11 : Assam's Bodoland region, which currently has 21 Geographical Indication (GI) tags for its traditional products, plans to preserve as well as promote these items and to provide economic benefits to its people.
The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) under the leadership of its Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pramod Boro has planned to set up a heritage park for GI tagging items.
An effort has started to protect, preserve and promote Bodo heritage, its traditional items, cultural motifs and to provide economic benefits to the people of the region who involved with this.
While speaking to ANI, BTC Chief Pramod Boro said that it is a big achievement for the people of Bodoland that at this time 21 GI tags in different traditional and cultural items have been secured.
"We have planned to construct a heritage park in Chirang district. The land has been identified and the masterplan is already prepared and now we are going to start the building part within a short period of time," Pramod Boro said.
He further said that, apart from 21 GI tags, they have started process to get GI tags in another five items also.
"Some more items like our foods and other items, we are processing to get GI tags for another five items. If we get it then 26 GI tagging items will be only in a small area of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). We have requested that other communities also use some food items, attires, and they need to preserve them. We are going to help them also," he added.
The BTC Chief also said that, for registered users in 21 GI tagging items, they are targeting more than 2 lakh registrations.
"For registered users, we are targeting more than 2 lakh registrations for 21 GI tagging items, so that they can use it and get financial benefits through the GI. A mobile application, apps have developed and everything is ready and in next 2-3 weeks our teams are going to start the registration process in different places of our council area," he said.
Calling for preserving the traditional methods of the region, he said that the work of preservation will be completed within 2 or 3 years.
Boro said, "Our artisans, cultural activists, people involved in the production will get benefits. Along with preservation it will give economic benefits also. Our traditional attire Aronai is handwoven, but people are using machines. Once the machine is used the traditional values will be diluted and we don't want that, our traditional values should be diluted. So that, preservation will be there and at the same time economic benefits will be there, those people are using it and doing the production works. Within 2-3 years we are doing this."