Indian Follow IPR office as on US model

GOI said in Rajya Sabha on Friday said it is trying to set up a fully computerized intellectual property rights (IPR) office in the country which is similar to the US model where everything is done online.

Responding during Question Hour, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the government has brought a lot of “sanity” to the working of eight areas of IPR, be it patent, copyright or trademark. “All of these are synergised into one office now. We are in the process of computerizing every process so that people don’t have to go to any IPR office whatsoever,” he said.
In the whole of the US, there is one IPR office and everybody works online, he said, and added, “I am trying to develop that module here.” With smartphones proliferating all over India, the government wants to ensure rural artisans and craftsmen engage directly online through video conferencing and get advise on patent related issues free of cost, he said.

The government has already reduced charges significantly for start-ups, artisans and women entrepreneurs, he added. On protection of traditional knowledge under India’s IPR policy, Goyal said it is not only related to traditional medicine but also traditional cultural expression.

An initial study has been conducted to get a feel of what a road map on this issue should be, he said, and added that the government is now in the process of working out a much more detailed analysis and prepare a road map forward.

On government’s efforts to protect traditional knowledge, the minister said 3.6 lakh formulation which were part of traditional knowledge have now been made available to 13 patent offices across the world.
“Due to which, we were able to save about 236 cases which otherwise would have got patented somewhere else. They were able to deny the patent in different geographies because of our effort to make the world aware that India has lot of traditional knowledge,” he added.

The minister also assured the BJD member that the government will consider protecting “traditional culture” in the IPR policy. The government is very committed that rural India is engaged with the world when it comes to the country’s traditional knowledge he added. (Source TOI).

GI tags for 4 new products from 3 states

The government on Friday allotted Geographical Indication (GI) tags to four new products from the states of Tamil Nadu, Mizoram and Kerala.

GI is an indication used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess the qualities or reputation that are due to that origin. The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) recently registered GIs for c, Tawlhlohpuan and Mizo Puanchei from Mizoram and and Tirur Betel leaf from Kerala, a government statement said on Friday.

Palani Panchamirtham, a ‘prasadam’ or religious offering in temples has been allotted a GI, in a first. Tawlhlohpuan, is a fine quality fabric woven in Mizoram, while Mizo Puanchei, essentially a shawl, is considered the most colourful textile in the northeastern state. Tirur betel vine, cultivated in Malappuram district of Kerala, is valued for its medicinal and cultural usages.
“GI products can benefit the rural economy in remote areas, by supplementing the incomes of artisans, farmers, weavers and craftsmen. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is actively involved in promotion and marketing of GIs,” the press statement said.
Recently, a long-drawn tussle between West Bengal and Odisha was resolved after latter secured a GI tag for its own variant of rasgulla.