GI tag for Basohli painting and Ladakh’s wood carving The world famous 'Basohli Painting, popular for its miniature art style from Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir has obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag following approval by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Jammu. Ladakh's wood carving has been given GI tag to make cultural traditions popular. About GI tag: A geographical indication (GI) tag is a sign used on locally produced products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities that are due to that origin. A product can be given a GI tag if it is a specialty of a given place. A total of 33 products have been given the GI tag during 2022-23. Mission to map rural India’s cultural assets: In a bid to harness the unique cultural heritage of rural India, the government has identified and documented distinctive features of more than one lakh villages across the country. Cultural Asset Mapping: In this cultural asset mapping, villages have been broadly divided into seven-eight categories based on whether they are important ecologically, developmentally or scholastically, if they produce a famous textile or product, and if they are connected to some historical or mythological events such as the Independence struggle or epics like the Mahabharata. Ecological category: Bishnoi village near Jodhpur in Rajasthan, which is a case study for living in harmony with nature Uttarakhand’s Raini village, which is famous for the Chipko movement. Developmental importance: Modhera in Gujarat, which is the first solar powered village in India Historical importance: Suketi in Himachal Pradesh, Asia’s oldest fossil park, Pandrethan in Kashmir, the village of Shaivite mystic Lal Ded classified for their historical importance. Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (My Village My Heritage) programme: The entire exercise has been carried out under the Mera Gaon…
