Guwahati, Sept 6: The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) government is launching several initiatives aimed at preserving cultural heritage while fostering economic development in the Sixth Schedule area. These efforts are designed to empower local artisans, farmers, and entrepreneurs.

One of the key initiatives includes the establishment of 'GI Villages', where groups of artisans and farmers will receive training, infrastructure support, and direct access to markets, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Moreover, a Bodo Heritage Park is planned to serve as a center of excellence, showcasing GI products, generating employment opportunities, and providing sustainable income for local communities.

To enhance accessibility, the BTR government is initiating a comprehensive Authorised Users (AU) registration campaign under the Chief Executive Member’s Special Initiative Scheme.

A mobile application has been created to register over 100,000 tribal artisans, farmers, and weavers as authorized users, connecting each AU to various GI products.

Those registered will gain access to government schemes, training programs, exposure trips, modern marketing tools, and legal protections, enabling them to engage actively in the regional economy.

A list of GI-tagged products from BTR.

This initiative follows a significant milestone, as Bodoland has recently secured 21 Geographical Indication (GI) tags for its traditional products, crafts, and agricultural goods from November 29, 2023, to May 31, 2024.

These GI tags protect the origin, quality, and distinctiveness of various items, including Bodo Dokhona (traditional attire), handloom crafts, musical instruments, Bodo cuisine, and three traditional alcoholic beverages, ensuring that only authentic producers from the region can use these names.

The inclusion of traditional Bodo alcoholic beverages among the GI-tagged products aims to elevate them to global brand status, akin to whisky and French wine, which began as local village brews.

Ling Narzihary, a leader of this initiative, remarked, “We missed the Industrial Revolution and the IT Revolution, but we will not miss the GI Revolution.”

In light of securing 21 GI tags, the BTR government, led by Pramod Boro, has initiated a special campaign to register cultural artifacts from all 26 communities in the region.

The Gandhi Hindustani Sahitya Sabha has been enlisted to provide expert guidance through workshops, helping community scholars and leaders identify and document their unique cultural items for GI tag applications.

Beyond economic advantages, GI recognition also safeguards tribal identity and traditions, preserving practices such as handloom weaving, bamboo crafts, and organic farming.

These environmentally friendly practices align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and present potential carbon credit opportunities, linking cultural preservation with climate-conscious production.

Experts believe that Bodoland’s success with GI tags can serve as a model for other Sixth Schedule regions in the Northeast, showcasing the area as one of resilience, tradition, and economic potential.

With initiatives like GI villages, a heritage park, AU registration, and global marketing of traditional products, Bodoland is positioning itself as a leader in utilizing indigenous heritage for sustainable development and economic empowerment.