Chandigarh, Aug. 20 -- The Centre has initiated the process to secure Geographical Indication (GI) registration for the traditional Amritsar shawl, offering the city's Rs.1,700-crore shawl industry a potential branding and market boost. The issue came up in the Lok Sabha last week, when the Centre was asked about measures to preserve and promote Punjab's traditional textile industry. In its reply, Union minister of state for textiles Pabitra Margherita said the Textile Committee had filed an application under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act for registration of the traditional Amritsar shawl. A GI registration gives legal recognition to a product whose quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to a particular geographical region. For Amritsar shawls, the move could help protect the craft's traditional identity, curb misuse of name and strengthen its branding and commercial value in domestic and overseas markets. Amritsar accounts for about Rs.1,700 crore of India's roughly Rs.3,000-crore shawl and stole market, including around Rs.600 crore in exports. Its manufacturing base comprises nearly 2,000 traditional powerlooms and 450 modern electronic jacquard machines, besides hundreds of small-scale micro and powerloom units. Amritsar shawls are valued for their intricate hand embroidery and distinctive traditional motifs. Traditionally made from fine Pashmina, wool, silk and blended fabrics, they combine lightweight warmth, softness and elaborate craftsmanship. Techniques such as crewel and aari embroidery, along with vibrant floral and traditional patterns, give Amritsar shawls their distinctive identity and premium appeal. The most specific assistance cited for Amritsar is under the Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme. Between 2018 and 2024, 70 cases were settled and Rs.12.9 crore in capital investment subsidy was released to textile units in city. The subsidy peaked at Rs.4.70 crore in 2022, followed by Rs.2.83 crore in 2020 and Rs.2.19 crore in 2021. Assistance stood at Rs.1.83 crore in 2024, while Rs.11 lakh and Rs.3 lakh were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The Centre said several schemes, including Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks, Production Linked Incentive Scheme, SAMARTH, ATUFS, Integrated Wool Development Programme, National Handloom Development Programme and Raw Material Supply Scheme, were being implemented in Punjab. Punjab has three textile parks under SITP, with Rs.40 crore released for Lotus Integrated Textile Park in Barnala, Rs.36 crore for Rhythm Textile & Apparel Park in Nawanshahr and Rs.36 crore for Ludhiana Integrated Textile Park. None is located in Amritsar. Vinod Arora, general secretary, Shawl Traders' Association, Amritsar, said the Centre has not disclosed any separate scheme-wise or year-wise funding specifically for Amritsar textile cluster over the past decade. Also, the challenge now is to translate the proposed GI recognition into tangible support for technology upgradation, common facilities, design and skill development, branding and export infrastructure-areas that could determine whether Amritsar's traditional shawl industry can retain its competitive edge, he said....