New Delhi: Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal held a review meeting at the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks in Mumbai today. The Minister took a review of the various initiatives undertaken by the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks. The Union Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment to bolster the ecosystem of patents, design, trademarks, GI systems; to encourage innovation, research & development in the country and bring newer inventions & knowledge from India’s heritage systems to a global platform. With this vision the efforts are being made since 2014 to make India a Global Innovation hub, he added. 

Union Minister while speaking about the CGPDT’s speedy disposal of applications informed that “The pendency in the IPR department has come down drastically. It has also been decided that any pending application should be completed within days and not months.”

Shri Goyal also mentioned the reduction in fees allowed by the department in order to help and support startups and women entrepreneurs in the country. “Filing fees for Startups, MSMEs, Female individual has been given a provision of 80% discount to help the youth of the country. Also, most of the processes are made online for their convenience. Earlier people from far off places had to spend money from their pockets to reach the office in person which has now been made easier. This ensures hassle-free administration,” he said. He also appreciated the officers in achieving this task.

“All these steps will encourage research, innovation, development and scientific thinking in the country,” he added.

Shri Goyal also made a few suggestions to make the whole process more user friendly.  He made suggestions to make a plan to increase awareness of GI and also to consider instituting scholarships for students studying the IP law as well as engage faculty from renowned institutions on a part-time basis to help with the examination.