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Ram Vilas Paswan: National IPR policy in making

Union minister for food and consumer affairs Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday said that the government is drawing up finer details of a national intellectual property rights (IPR) policy.

Union minister for food and consumer affairs Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday said that the government is drawing up finer details of a national intellectual property rights (IPR) policy. He said that the policy will spur economic growth.

“The national IPR policy is in the making. With the release of this policy, India will get the much-needed push in its economic growth and socio-economic developmental agenda,” the minister said at a function organised by an industry body Ficci in the national capital.

Incidentally, the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP), under the aegis of the ministry of commerce and industry, had in 2014 prepared and circulated the draft IPR policy and sought public comments. The final policy is being worked out, Mr Paswan stated.

He argued that India’s role as a global economic powerhouse and status of an investment destination are increasingly linked to its ability to ensure IPRs are protected with strong IPR rules and enforcement of laws and regulations.

He added that on the one hand the value of “Indian made” intellectual rights is on the rise while on the other rising counterfeit and fake products are posing as a key threat to the country’s economic growth.

Mr Paswan admitted that counterfeit products have a direct impact on consumers. He said the priority of the government is to protect consumers and several measures have been taken to ensure consumer safety and check unfair trade practices.

He also struck a note of caution, saying consumers have to be aware not just of commercial aspects of sale and purchase of goods, but of health and security considerations. Mr Paswan called upon the companies to aside part of their corporate social responsibility funds for awareness among consumers on such issues.

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