(a) whether the Union Government propose to introduce Intellectual Property Rights Facilitation Cell between the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council and the State Governments to help the knowledge based industries in the country; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which a final decision in the matter is likely to be taken?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SHRI BACHI SINGH RAWAT)
a) & b) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) & (b) OF STARRED QUESTION No. 596 FOR 07.05.2002 REGARDING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS FACILITATION CELL
The Union Government through the Patent Facilitating Centre at the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council has already set up 10 Patent Information Centres in 10 States with objectives to create awareness about intellectual property rights, especially patents, in the neighbouring region of the Centres. These Centres enable patent searches for the universities, industry, government departments and R&D institutions, analyse patent information on a regular basis and suggest new programmes for R&D based on such information and guide the inventors in respect of patenting their inventions. Centres have been set up in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.