Why in news? Joynagar moa, the popular Bengal sweetmeat available only during the colder months of the year, with the number of registered manufacturers witnessing a massive rise and its Geographical Indication tag getting a 10-year extension.

Highlights

About Joynagar Moa

• It is a seasonal Bengali sweetmeat delicacy prepared from date palm jaggery and Kanakchur khoi.
• Origination: Jaynagar of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
• It is now a popular sweet, being produced in Kolkata and elsewhere, sometimes with cheaper ingredients and chemical flavours.
• Jaynagarer Moa was given a Geographical Indication tag in 2015 which will enable the product to be protected from unauthorized uses and piracy.

About Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999

• It is an act of Parliament of India for protection of geographical indications
• India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Act to comply with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
• The GI tag ensures that only those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name.
• First Product: Darjeeling tea
• Duration : Initial period of ten years, which may be renewed from time to time