Current Affairs - Economy - Discussion

The government has lowered the Geographical Indication (GI) tag application fee from ₹5,000 to ₹1,000 to make the process more accessible for tribal artisans and those engaged in traditional crafts. This reduction is intended to encourage more communities to register their unique products, thereby helping preserve cultural heritage and promoting regional identity. GI tags play an essential role in safeguarding items whose reputation, quality, or characteristics are linked to their place of origin. Products such as Kannadippaya, Apatani textile, Marthandam honey, Lepcha Tungbuk, Bodo Aronai, Ambaji Marble, and Badri cow ghee exemplify this cultural and geographical significance.