The days of just about everybody churning out silk sarees and selling them under the famed ' Kancheepuram silk saree' brand is over. Now, 21 Kancheepuram-based silk saree cooperatives, besides 10 licensed individuals, alone can use the term 'Kancheepuram silk saree' as unique selling proposition (USP). Others, including the owners of textile malls in Chennai and elsewhere, found using the term now face the prospect of either being jailed for a term ranging from six months to three years or paying a fine between Rs 50,000 and Rs 3 lakh.
The 21 cooperative societies and 10 individuals have been recognised as authorised users under the provisions of the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. An official announcement of this recognition will be made very shortly. The move is bound to give a significant boost to the debt-ridden cooperative societies that churn out the popular Kancheepuram silks, distinct in weave and design, and contribute to the
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