In an effort to boost to intellectual property rights’ (IPR) awareness and adoption among MSMEs, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) along with the Ministry of MSMEs have jointly set up the FICCI-MSME IP Facilitation Centre (IPFC) in New Delhi. The centre will be officially launched on August 17, 2010.

“The FICCI-MSME IPFC will offer services such as general advice on IP, prior art search, patent drafting, examination of IP applications and technology transfer at nominal rates to MSMEs,” said Sheetal Chopra, deputy director and head of FICCI’s IPR DIVISION to a Bizxchange correspondent.

Significantly, the event will be inaugurated by Union Ministry of MSMEs’ secretary Dinesh Rai and will be attended by industry representatives.

“It will be good to see such a huge industry body like FICCI starting an IPFC for MSMEs and take up the IP awareness movement at such a large-scale because there is tremendous lack of knowledge among MSMEs about the benefits and importance of IP rights,” said Biswanath Bhattacharya, president of the Federation of Small & Medium Industries (FOSMI) to a Bizxchange correspondent.

Earlier, during March-July 2010, the FICCI had organised IPR awareness programmes in various cities around the country to encourage MSMEs to adopt IP rights.

Sreemita Bhattacharya