New Delhi
Addressing countrymen through his Mann Ki Baat radio programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday talked about the Virgin Coconut Oil of Nicobar district that recently got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag and the steps being taken thereafter.
But before that, the PM did not miss out to point out that his radio address this time was being aired on the third Sunday of the month instead of the normal practice of being done on the last Sunday. This, he said, was because the last Sunday of this month happens to be the Republic Day.
“Friends, there is another piece of very good news from Andaman and Nicobar Islands too. Virgin coconut oil in Nicobar district has recently received the GI Tag. After the GI Tag, another new initiative has been undertaken for virgin coconut oil. Self-help groups are being formed by organizing the women associated with the production of this oil. They are also being imparted special training in marketing and branding. This is a big step towards economically empowering our tribal communities,” the Prime Minister said.
“I am sure that in future, the virgin coconut oil of Andaman-Nicobar is going to be a newsmaker in the world and the biggest contribution in that will be of the women’s self-help groups of Andaman and Nicobar,” he added.
In a first, seven products of any Union Territory, in this case the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, have received the GI tags at one go. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), supported the island’s administration, facilitated the process.
The tribal products are Nicobar Coconut, Nicobari Tavi-i-Ngaich (Virgin Coconut Oil), Andaman Karen Musley Rice, Hodi (an outrigger canoe), Nicobari Mat (Chatrai-hileuoi), Nicobari Hut (Chanvi Pati – Nyi hupul), Padauk Wood Craft.
The entire process was coordinated by the NGO Human Welfare Association, under the guidance of Padma Shri Rajani Kant, known as the ‘GI Man of India’ by virtue of his enabling as many as 155 products from 21 States and Union Territories of India get the coveted GI tag.
The Prime Minister also touched upon the upcoming 75th Republic Day, 75 years of the Constitution and enabled listeners with speeches of luminaries like BR Ambedkar, Dr Rajendra Prasad and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. He also spoke on National Voter’s Day, Election Commission and elections, Maha Kumbh and Ganga Sagar Mela, Start-Ups including a private sector Space Tech company named Pixxel, Swami Vivekananda and Subhash Chandra Bose.
