NEW DELHI: To promote innovation, the Department of Industrial Policy and Planning (DIPP), has initiated a multi-pronged strategy including measures like providing fee concession for MSMEs, making Intellectual Property Regime (IPR) transparent and hiring manpower to address shortage.
“Several measures have been taken to ensure continuous and unending improvement of the Indian IP ecosystem in the country. To this effect, the DIPP has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to develop an Intellectual Property Regime (IPR) in the country to promote creativity and to develop the culture of respect for innovations and creativity,” said Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a statement.
To modernise the administration, an additional 1,033 posts have been created - 666 posts for patents and designs and 367 for trademarks and geographic indicators.
Recruitment is underway and patent and trademarks examiners are being taken on contract to deal with the backlog, it said adding that to cater to the immense flow of the papers filed, a single central server at IPO Delhi has been put in place.
During the year, DIPP transformed to enhance efficiency in processing applications, uniformity and consistency in examining applications, bilateral cooperation at the international level and raising the awareness level of the public.
It also said online e-filing facilities for patent and trademark application were introduced and e-filers were allowed to use debit and credit cards and internet banking to pay fee.
“This year, e-filers were given the facility of using debit cards, credit cards and internet banking of over 70 banks for making payment of fee for all forms,” it said adding “10 per cent rebate on online filing of applications and documents has been introduced.”