In its mission to transform Uttar Pradesh into an ‘Uttam Pradesh’, the Yogi Adityanath government is set to significantly expand the number of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products.

Already leading the nation with 77 GI-tagged items, UP is poised to take this achievement to new heights. Now, a comprehensive action plan has been formulated to reach the milestone of 152 GI-tagged products.

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Officials here on Friday revealed that the government aims to secure GI tags for 75 products in the financial year 2025–26. Applications for 25 products are already being submitted to the GI Registry in Chennai and are expected to be completed soon.

In addition to increasing the number of GI tags, the state government is taking robust measures to promote GI products, raise public awareness, and expand the base of authorized users. The MSME department is developing a detailed framework to enhance the recognition and reach of GI-tagged products across the state.

A key component of this initiative is identifying and onboarding more entrepreneurs as authorized users of GI products. These users will be officially recognised and play a vital role in promoting GI goods and encouraging wider participation among local producers. The production and marketing of GI-tagged products will catalyse entrepreneurship and awareness at the grassroots level.

It is noteworthy that Uttar Pradesh currently holds the highest number of GI-tagged products in India. Other leading states in this domain include Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra.

The MSME department is signing an MoU with the Human Welfare Association, a renowned GI expert organisation, to strengthen this initiative further. This partnership will be instrumental in expanding the network of authorized GI users and supporting the addition of new GI tags. The move will help safeguard the unique identity of traditional and indigenous products, protecting them from unauthorized use and imitation.

Overall, this initiative will contribute to rural development, preservation of traditional knowledge, and increased marketing and export potential for Uttar Pradesh’s distinctive products.