the world-famous Darjeeling tea will now have a certification trade mark ( ctm ) scheme. According to the Tea Board this is another step forward for the Darjeeling logo scheme launched some years ago. Announcing this at a news conference, Tea Board chairperson S S Ahuja said, "in the new scheme, the word Darjeeling would be used as a certification trade mark in relation to tea which is grown, produced, cultivated and manufactured in the hilly plantation region of Darjeeling district."

The Darjeeling logo of the Tea Board is an Indian woman holding tea leaves combined with the word Darjeeling arranged in a roundel.A press note issued on the occasion said: "In the wake of a new international trade regime mandated by the wto , it has become imperative to streamline and strengthen the existing legal procedures for administration of intellectual property rights including geographical indications ( gi ) in India." In India, gi of Goods ( r&p ) Act, 1999 for registration and better protection of geographical indications is already in place.

A user of Darjeeling ctm has to pay an annual licence fee of us $250. The fee for use of the Darjeeling logo is us $100.