Delhi HC lifts Centre’s curbs on GI tag for basmati rice

Why in news?
  • The Delhi High Court has struck down the decision of the Central government restricting the famously aromatic basmati rice production to only seven States in the Indo-Gangetic plains.
  • The High Court’s verdict came on the Madhya Pradesh government's plea to include 13 districts in the State under the Geographical Indications (GI) category for basmati rice.
More in news
  • Two Office Memorandums (OM):
    (1) The Ministry of Agriculture had through two Office Memorandums (OM) of May 2008 and February 2014.
  • Areas covered under OM:
    (1) Confined the GI certification for basmati to rice grown in the Indo-Gangetic plains these are:
    (2) States of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Contention by MP govt:
    (1) Madhya Pradesh government contended that the two OMs were outside the scope of the Seeds Act, 1966.
    (2) It additionally argued that the OMs encroach upon its power to pass laws in relation to agriculture, which is a State subject.
Source
The hindu




Posted by Jawwad Kazi on 29th Apr 2019
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