Lok Sabha Question No. 209 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Promotion of Innovation
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: B.N. CHANDRAPPA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY & PROMOTION

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO.209.

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE  31 ST  JULY, 2017.

## PROMOTION OF INNOVATION

## *209.  SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज् यवव द्यग ं ्री

- (a) whether  it  is  true  that  no  mechanism  has  been  put  in  place  to  incubate innovative ideas at home;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether India is continuously lagging behind as a global innovation hub;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to promote innovation and inventions in the country?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज् यवव द्यग ााज् यं ्रीस् वतं ््रभााा(स्रींतंरीिरंमलााीरीतंाांि( THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRIMATI NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a) to (e): Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 209 FOR ANSWER ON 31 ST  JULY, 2017.

- (a) & (b): No  Madam,  this  is  not  true.  A  large  number  of  incubators  are established in the country to incubate innovative ideas. As  per information provided by various departments, there are 109 incubators supported  by  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  (DST),  20 incubators  supported  by  Department  of  Biotechnology  (DBT),  33 incubators supported by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and 19 incubators supported by NITI Aayog under Atal Innovation Mission. Ministry of Human Resources Development is also collaborating with DST  in  setting up 15 incubators.  These incubators assist entrepreneurs in executing their ideas.
- (c) & (d): India has improved its rank in Global Innovation Index (GII) from 81 st in 2015 to 66 th in 2016, and further six places to 60 th in 2017.

In  the  GII,  2017,  India  has  retained  the  top  rank  in  Information  and Communication Technology Service Export for the past four years. Key findings of GII, 2017 show the rise of India as an emerging innovation centre in Asia. India, 60 th globally, is the top-ranked economy in Central and Southern Asia. The same is evidenced in the GII, 2017 Report.

- (e): India  has  a  well-established  legislative,  administrative  and  judicial framework  to  safeguard  Intellectual  Property  Rights  (IPRs)  which meets its international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities provided in the international regime to address its developmental concerns. India has  a  Trade  Related  Aspects  of  Intellectual  Property  Rights  (TRIPS) compliant, robust, equitable and dynamic IPR regime.

The Government has taken a number of steps to promote innovative research in scientific research institutions in the country. Some of the steps  taken  by  the  Government  of  India  to  promote  innovation  and inventions in India, are as follows:

-  The Government has created a new structure for basic sciences by establishing a Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) in the country as an autonomous body through an Act of Parliament. Creation  of  SERB  enhances  the  level  of  basic  research  funding significantly.
-  The  National  Intellectual  Property  Rights  (IPR)  Policy,  2016  was adopted  on  12.05.2016  as  a  vision  document  to  guide  future development of IPRs in the country.
-  In order to promote  innovation  in the  country,  Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has been supporting innovative research & development activities in the area of biotechnology  through  various  programs.  The  support  is  provided across all stages of product development including ideation, proof

of  concept,  prototyping,  pilot  scale  development,  validation  and product development.

-  Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology  (MeitY)  runs various  schemes  like  Technology  Incubation  and  Development  of Entrepreneurs (TIDE) Scheme to foster innovation.
-  Significant  progress  has  been  made  under  the  Atal  Innovation Mission  by  Niti  Aayog  to  promote  a  culture  of  innovation  and entrepreneurship by providing mentoring and infrastructure support to entrepreneurs.
-  Creating  and  exploiting  synergies  in  the  IPR  environment  is  of paramount importance.  The  administration  of  Copyright  Act,  1957 and  Semiconductor  Integrated  Circuits  Layout-Design  Act,  2000, along with their associated Registries, has been transferred to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Subsequently,  under  the  Finance  Act,  2017,  the  Copyright  Board has also been merged in the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
-  There have been wide spread and far reaching amendments in the Patents Rules, 2003 and the Trademarks Rules, 2002.  Thus, the IP processes have been re-engineered to streamline them and make them more user-friendly.
-  Manpower in the Intellectual Property offices has been ramped up significantly with recruitment of an additional 458 Patent Examiners apart  from  the  existing  130.  This  augmentation  of  manpower  has already  had  a  salutary  effect  on  the  examination  and  disposal  of patent applications. For instance, the number of patent applications examined in the first quarter of 2017-18 are 11898, as compared to just 1932 in the corresponding period last year.
-  Apart from country-wide awareness programmes, an IPR Enforcement toolkit for the Police has also been prepared, which is a  ready  reckoner  for  police  officials  across  the  country  in  dealing with IP crimes.
-  Special benefits have been made available for startups and Micro, Small  and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
-  The  Government  has  entered  into  an  agreement  with World Intellectual  Property  Organisation  (WIPO)  for  establishment  of Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC).
-  The  Commercial  Courts  set  up  under  the  Commercial  Courts, Commercial  Division  and  Commercial  Appellate  Division  of  High Courts Act, 2015 deal with IP disputes.

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