Ease of Doing Enterprise for MSMEs
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal know of 4 fold progress in patent and trademark registrations previously five years, as indicated by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Emblems (CGPDT) to MSMEs, ladies entrepreneurs, and startups. In an evaluation meeting with Goyal, CGPDT officials reported that the number of patents granted has increased from 6,326 in 2015-16 to 28,391 in 2020-21, while trademark registrations have increased from 65,045 in 2015-16 to 2,55,993 in 2020-21. Moreover, by FY21 there will have been 16,402 copyrights granted, an increase of 4,505 copyrights over FY16.
In a briefing to the minister, the officers disclosed how the IP procedure is being simplified and streamlined, including new deadlines for completing functions and the shift to digital mode to promote ease in submitting and acquiring companies. For example, under Commerce Mark Guidelines, 74 types have been replaced by eight consolidated types. Announcing that the division is offering 80 percent off patent submitting fees to MSMEs, startups, and women entrepreneurs, Goyal explained that each application is processed on-line from the beginning to the end, and all hearings take place over the phone.
In his instruction, the minister asked the CGPDT to make extra efforts to increase awareness of the geographical indication (GI) tag and its importance. An GI tag identifies where a product comes from and what qualities or fame it possesses as a result. In addition to enrolling college students in Mental Property regulation programs and collaborating with renowned establishments to help in the patent examination process, Goyal requested if there may be a possibility to institute scholarships.
To develop and improve the network of Know-how Centres (Device Rooms and Technology Development Centers) within the country aimed at encouraging innovation among the MSMEs, last year, the Ministry of MSME launched the World Financial institution-supported Know-how Centre Methods Programme (TCSP) at an estimated cost of Rs 2,200 crore. The community of TCs/ECs, now integrated, should also serve to strengthen links between industry and academia within the nation and support innovation by supplying fashionable services, such as incubation/AR/VR/AI and extra, outlined the MSME Ministry in its FY21 annual report.