‘Sweet’ rivalry in House as MLAs jostle for GI tags

Patna: Amid the usual din and sharp exchanges, the legislative assembly on Monday turned into an unlikely battleground of sweets with lawmakers enthusiastically competing to secure geographical indication (GI) tags for the signature delicacies of their constituencies.

Instead of trading barbs, members traded desserts — each keen to prove that their local rasgulla, laddu or ‘khobi ka laai’ deserved national recognition.Siyaram Singh sought a GI tag for Barh’s “laai” while Speaker Prem Kumar pitched for Gaya’s “tilkut”. Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha pressed the case for Lakhisarai’s “rasgulla” and Bhai Birendra strongly backed “Maner ka laddu”.Industries minister Dilip Jaiswal informed the House that Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, had applied to the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai, for registration of the GI tag for the famous ‘Khobi ka Laai’ of Barh.He also said that MLAs should recommend sweets and other distinctive food items from their regions for GI recognition, assuring them that the state govt would pursue the matter. Deputy CM Sinha suggested organising an exhibition of food products from various regions of Bihar during the Spring Festival. Speaker Prem Kumar promptly fixed the event for Feb 25.Jaiswal said several products from the state have already secured GI tags.

These include Shahi litchi (Muzaffarpur), katarni rice (Bhagalpur/Banka), zardalu mango (Bhagalpur), magahi paan (Magadh region), Silao khaaja (Nalanda), Mithila makhana (Mithila region), marcha rice (West Champaran), Madhubani Painting (Madhubani), Bhagalpuri silk (Bhagalpur), Sujini embroidery, Sikki grass products and Manjusha Art (Bhagalpur).Meanwhile, responding to Gaighat MLA Komal Singh, Jaiswal said the state govt’s industrialisation initiatives over the past few years have led to significant investment in the food processing sector in Muzaffarpur district.

He said 30 units covered under the maize-based industrial promotion policy are currently operating in the district, with investments of around Rs 714 crore.In addition, 58 new investment proposals have been approved in the maize sector in Muzaffarpur, involving investments of about Rs 2,958 crore, he said.At present, major units in Muzaffarpur such as Bharat Urja Distillery Pvt Ltd, Muzaffarpur Biofuels Ltd and Macro Max Biofuels Ltd manufacture maize-based ethanol.

Other large units operating in the maize belt include ABZ Export Pvt Ltd, a poultry feed manufacturing unit in the Bela industrial area; Brown Belly Food Products, a bread and rusk manufacturing unit; and Sugana Food Products, a cattle feed manufacturing unit, the minister said.He also informed the House that a mega food park has been developed in Muzaffarpur over approximately 143 acres to boost the food processing sector. As many as 25 industrial units have invested over Rs 567 crore and generated employment for 2,530 people in the region, he said.