Parliament Question: GI tag for Kagga Rice

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3871. TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 27TH MARCH, 2026. GI TAG FOR KAGGA RICE 3871. DR. DHARMASTHALA VEERENDRA HEGGADE: Will the Minister of Commerce and Industry be pleased to state: (a) whether Government has taken steps to expedite the GI-tag approval for Kagga Rice from Uttara Kannada and if so, the details thereof along with the current status; (b) the number of GI tags granted to agricultural and artisan products from Karnataka during the last five years, year-wise; and (c) the steps taken by Government to support, protect and promote and register unique agricultural, food and handicraft items from Karnataka to protect their regional heritage and boost commercial value? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MIN ISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a): The application for registration of GI (Geographical Indication) for Kagga Rice from Uttara Kannada filed by M/s Visvesvarayya Trade Promotion Council, Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka, Bengaluru, in association with the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, on 07.07.2023 is under examination at GI Registry, Chennai in accordance with the provisions of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and the Rules framed thereunder. (b): During the last five years, three Geographical Indication (GI) tags have been granted to agricultural and artisan products from Karnataka. The year-wise details of these GI registrations are tabulated as follows. SL Application Name Date of Goods State Financial No No. Filing Year 1. 745 Indi Limbe 26.03.2021 Agricultural Karnataka 2022-2023 2. 843 Kari Ishad 02.03.2022 Agricultural Karnataka 2022-2023 Mango 3. 986 Patteda Anchu 09.09.2022 Handicraft Karnataka 2024-2025 Saree & Fabrics(c): The Government is undertaking several measures to support, protect and promote unique agricultural, food and handicraft products across all States and Union Territories, including Karnataka. These include facilitating their registration under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, providing guidance for filing GI applications, conducting awareness & capacity-building programmes and supporting post-registration promotion & marketing initiatives to enhance their visibility and commercial value. The detailed measures are provided at Annexure–A. *******ANNEXURE-A ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF THE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3871 FOR ANSWER ON 27.03.2026 The details of the steps taken by the Government to support and protect unique agricultural, food, and handicraft products across all States and Union Territories, including Karnataka are as under : (i) Financial Measures : Through an amendment to the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2002, notified on 03.11.2025, the fee for filing GI applications and related processes has been reduced by 80 per cent. This has significantly reduced the financial burden on artisans, farmers, cooperatives and producer groups, thereby encouraging wider participation in the GI registration system. (ii) Awareness and Capacity Building : The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), through the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), conducts Intellectual Property awareness programmes, including under the National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM), to educate stakeholders about the provisions of the GI Act, 1999 and the procedures for registration. (iii) National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) : Under the Handloom Marketing Assistance (HMA) component of NHDP, financial assistance is provided for GI registration of handloom products, capacity building of Implementing Agencies, organizing seminars and workshops, and for effective enforcement of GI provisions. So far, 106 handloom products have been registered under the GI Act across the country, including 5 from Karnataka, as listed below : Sl. No. Product Name Year of Registration 1. Ilkal Sarees 24.09.2007 2. Navalgund Durries 28.03.2008 3. Molakalmuru Sarees 28.03.2008 4. Udupi Sarees 31.03.2016 5. Guledgudd Khana 31.03.2016 (iv) Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) extends its Financial Assistance Schemes (FAS) to its notified scheduled products including GI products falling under the purview of APEDA for the purpose of Infrastructure, Quality and Market Development (v) The O/o Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) provides infrastructure and technology support under the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) scheme for sanction of common facility raw material depot and technology upgradation assistance to exporters/entrepreneurs to support product, productivity, quality, etc. in the handicraft sector including GI registered crafts. (vi) MSME Innovative Scheme (IPR component) provides financial support for GI registration, offering reimbursement of up to ₹2 lakh for registration fees. Eligible registered MSMEs with a valid Udyam certificate can apply online at the official portal to facilitate the protection of unique products, aimed at enhancing competitiveness and fostering a culture of innovation.(vii) Intellectual Property Facilitation Centres (IPFCs) component of the MSME Innovation Scheme offers legal and intellectual property filing support including patents, trademarks, copyrights, designs, geographical indications (GI) etc. (viii) Facilitation by GI Registry: Further, the GI Registry facilitates the process of registration by assisting applicants in addressing deficiencies in applications filed by a Producer’s Association or authorised body, in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Rules. For further assistance in this regard, applicants may contact the GI Registry at gir- ipo@nic.in or 044-22502030. ********