Cabinet clears two Patent Bills

The cabinet approved amendment to the Electricity Regulatory Act to enable two or more states and Union territories to establish a joint electricity regulatory commission and revised the costs of two power transmission projects.

The Bill on geographical indications will provide for the registration and protection of goods like Basmati rice and Darjeeling tea, anofficial spokesperson said after the cabinet meeting.

This, along with Patents (amendment) Bill, Trade Marks Bill and Designs Bill, will enable India to discharge commitments under the trade related intellectual property rights (Trips) agreement.

Geographical indications refer to any indication which define the goods as originating in the territory of a country or a region or locality in that territory, and where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the goods is essentially attributable to its geographical origin. Some well known Indian examples of geographical indications are Malabar pepper, Alleppey green cardamom, Alphonso mangoes, Pashmina shawls and Kohlapur chappals. The proposed legislation for protection of plant varieties aims to stimulate investment for research and development of new plant varieties.Development and availability of new and improved varieties of plants and farmers’ rights over their traditional plant genetic resources have become linked to the issue ofintellectual property rights (IPRs) or plant breeders’ rights.

The proposed Indian sui generis system will protect farmers’ traditional rights to save, exchange, share and sell farm produce of the protected plant variety except sale under commercial marketing arrangements.

CCEA, in its meeting, also cleared capital investment subsidy for construction of cold storages for horticultural produce and revised cost estimates of Chandrapur HVDC project and Salal hydroelectric station II.

The SMP for sugarcane is based on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The SMP of Rs 56.10 per quintal linked to a basic recovery of 8.5 per cent subject to a premium of Rs 0.66 for every 0.1 percentage point increase in the recovery above that level is an increase of Rs 3.4 per quintal over the price of Rs 52.70 per quintal fixed for 1998-99 season. While fixing the levy sugar price, CCEA also approved the negative adjustment of molasses prices in determination of ex-factory prices oflevy sugar for future years based on previous sugar seasons average realisations.

The methodology is expected to ensure consistency, uniformity and transparency in treating molasses realisations in fixation of levy sugar prices. The capital investment subsidy for construction, expansion will be implemented through the National Horticulture Board.

WIPO to enhance CIP networkingNEW DELHI: The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has decided to enhance networking of intellectual property (CIP) offices in BIMST-EC countries through sharing of experiences, collation and dissemination of information at a sub-regional level.

The forum, in its second meeting held here on November 18 and 19, also decided to continue the process of consultations on new areas of IP development and developing strategies for economic and cultural development and promotion of trade, investment and technology transfer among the BIMST-EC countries, which comprise Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka andThailand.

The New Delhi action plan adopted at the meeting speaks of involving private sector in future discussions on intellectual property matters, exchanging information and experiences on information technology issues and e-commerce and enhancing understanding and awareness on the protection and sustainable use of bio-diversity resources. The forum agreed on cooperation among the BIMST countries in adjusting to the post-trips scenario.