Bihar’s popular ‘Khurma’, ‘Tilkut’ and ‘Balu Shahi’ may get GI tags soon. Let us tell you that a GI tag is what identifies a product originating from a specific region. As per an official, the applications seeking GI tags for these three have been accepted by the concerned authority. Not just this, similar applications that were submitted for ‘chiniya’ banana variety from Hajipur, ‘bawan buti’ sari from Nalanda and ‘Pattharkatti stone craft’ from Gaya have also been accepted by the GI registry.
NABARD-Bihar Chief General Manager Sunil Kumar told PTI that the GI tag applications submitted for ‘Khurma’ from Bhojpur’s Udwantnagar, ‘Tilkut’ from Gaya, ‘Balu Shahi’ from Sitamarhi, ‘Chiniya’ banana from Hajipur, ‘Bawan Buti’ sari from Nalanda and ‘Pattharkatti Stone Craft’ from Gaya have been accepted by the GI registry following a detailed and crucial examination. Kumar added that the developments are very positive and encouraging. He hoped that all these items might be given the GI tags very soon.
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‘Tilkut’ is a popular sweet treat made up of jaggery and sesame seeds and is quite famous in India as well as foreign countries. Similarly, ‘Khurma’ is a crunchy snack which is fried and coated with sugar. It is quite similar to the famous shakarpara. ‘Balu Shahi’ is a popular sweet most commonly eaten around weddings. It is soaked in sugar syrup and is crunchy from the outside with a softer interior. All these delicacies from Bihar are famous not in India but other parts of the world too.
As per Sushil Kumar, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development also contributed in filing applications for GI tags for these delicacies. Kumar believes that getting GI tags for these famous delicacies from Bihar could help farmers, artisans and manufacturers working around the products as they would be able to earn more. A few days ago, Bihar’s popular ‘Marcha Rice’ known for its aromatic flavour, also bagged GI tag. Besides, ‘Jardalu’ mango, ‘Katarni dhaan’ (paddy), ‘Maghai paan’ and ‘Shahi litchi’ have also been given the GI tags.
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