Betel leaf of which one of the following States has been accorded a GI tag recently?
- (a)Andhra Pradesh
- (b)Madhya Pradesh
- (c)Kerala
- (d)Mizoram
Correct — C, Kerala. As of the November 2019 exam, the 'recently' GI-tagged betel leaf was the Tirur Betel Leaf (Tirur Vettila) of Kerala, grown around Tirur in Malappuram district. It was registered as an agricultural Geographical Indication in 2019-20, prized for its pungency, aroma and traditional medicinal use. A Geographical Indication protects a product tied to a specific place and can only be used by authorised producers of that region.
- (a)Andhra Pradesh — Andhra Pradesh holds many GIs, but the betel-leaf GI recognised around this time was Kerala's Tirur Vettila, not an Andhra product.
- (b)Madhya Pradesh — No recent betel-leaf GI was accorded to Madhya Pradesh; the tag in question is Kerala's Tirur Betel Leaf.
- (d)Mizoram — Mizoram is not linked to this betel-leaf GI; the recognised leaf is from Tirur in Kerala.
A Geographical Indication (GI) is a sign identifying goods that owe a specific quality or reputation to their place of origin, protected in India under the Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999. Tirur Betel Leaf from Kerala received such recognition, tying the leaf's distinctive character to the Tirur region.
All the options are states, so the item tests the specific GI in the news. Anchor 'recent betel-leaf GI' to Kerala's Tirur Vettila, registered in 2019-20 as an agricultural GI.
- Tirur Betel Leaf (Tirur Vettila) comes from Tirur, Malappuram district, Kerala.
- It was registered as an agricultural Geographical Indication in 2019-20.
- GIs in India are governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
- The leaf is valued for its pungent taste, aroma and traditional medicinal use.
- Guessing a state at random when all options are plausible producers — the recent GI here is Kerala's Tirur Vettila.
- Confusing a GI (a community right tied to place) with a trademark (an individual/company right).
Current-affairs 'which state/product got a GI', or statement-based on which items hold GI status.
Which of the following has/have been accorded 'Geographical Indication' status? 1. Banaras Brocades and Sarees 2. Rajasthani Daal-Bati-Churma 3. Tirupathi Laddu. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- (a) 1 only
- (b) 2 and 3 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer(c) 1 and 3 only
Same concept — which products hold GI status. UPSC tests recognising GI-tagged goods, exactly the skill needed to place Kerala's Tirur betel leaf here.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Geographical Indications in India are registered and protected under an Act of which year?
- (a)1970
- (b)1999
- (c)2005
- (d)2016
Answer(b) 1999 — the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
- practice — not a real PYQ
A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is best described as
- (a)an individual inventor's exclusive right
- (b)a community right tied to a product's place of origin
- (c)a company's brand trademark
- (d)a copyright over a written work
Answer(b) a community right tied to a product's place of origin — usable only by authorised regional producers.