The Geographical Indication (GI) Registry in Chennai has granted the GI tag to 3 agricultural products from Madhya Pradesh (MP): Khurasani Imli (Mandu), Garadu Tuber (Ratlam), and Balam Kakdi (Sailana).
These certifications are part of an initiative to protect 12 distinct regional agricultural items from the state.
The Geographical Indications Registry (GIR) has granted Geographical Indication (GI) tags to 11 products from Jharkhand, including the Bhoya Saree and Fabric, Kuchai Silk Saree, Jharkhand Bamboo Craft, and Sohrai Painting.
With these additions, Jharkhand has a total of 12 GI-tagged products, of which 4 are supported by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
The GIR has also granted GI status to 4 traditional products from Assam, namely Karbi Anglong Handloom Products, Assam Bihu Pepa, Assam Bamboo Crafts, and Deuri Handloom Products. Assam currently holds 45 GI-tagged products in total, with 12 being supported by NABARD.
The tribal musical instrument of Tripura, Sarinda (also known as Sarinda Uakhrap), has been granted a GI tag. Tripura now possesses a total of 4 GI-tagged products, all of which are supported by NABARD. It is to be noted that a GI registration is valid for a period of 10 years from the date of registration and can be renewed for further periods of 10 years each.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, through the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), has launched a premium brand named “RISA - Timeless Tribal” for tribal textiles, embroideries, and handicrafts. An exclusive RISA store was inaugurated at the Rajiv Gandhi Handicrafts Bhawan in New Delhi.
The initiative aims to establish a brand identity for tribal products, strengthen market linkages for tribal artisans, facilitate design development, and promote tribal heritage in domestic and international markets.
The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) has signed three MoUs to modernise Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) through digital innovation and structural enhancements.
Under the first agreement, the EdTech firm CoGrad will provide 499 EMRSs with two years of free access to its “Medha AI” platform. NESTS has also renewed its corporate philanthropy partnership with the Learning Links Foundation (Amazon) for another two years. Additionally, a governance MoU signed with the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission has standardised EMRS funding at ₹1.47 lakh per student.