Textiles Committee organised webinar on “Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Protection of Unique Products through GI and Post GI Initiatives”

Sixth Capacity Building Programme on “Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Protection of Unique Products through GI and Post GI Initiatives” was held on 25th August 2021 through Webinar from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.

The Textiles Committee, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India in collaboration with the O/o Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles & Export Promotion Bureau Govt. of U.P organised a webinar on “Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Protection of Unique Products through GI and Post GI Initiatives”  on 25th August 2021.

1. The main objective of the Webinar was to create awareness amongst stakeholders in the textile & handicraft sector about the benefits of GI and need for taking up Post GI Initiatives for converting this IPR into tangible benefits in terms of increased income and employment for the authorised producers.
2. Since inception  of the IPR Act, 1999,  370 products have been registered under the GI out of which 214 products belong the Unique textiles and handicrafts segment.
3. The Textiles Committee, which has facilitated 56 products for GI registration has been spearheading  the activity of spreading awareness about the GI Act and its uses to all the stakeholders through such interactive workshops/ webinars cum technical sessions. 
4. Speaking on the Inaugural session of the webinar, Shri Navneet Sehgal, IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary, Dept. of MSME & Export Promotion, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, in his key note address elaborated the activities being taken up by Government of Uttar Pradesh for strengthening intervention in the State for realising better premium price for registered products. Shri Navneet Sehgal also emphasised the need for creating a dedicated GI Cell in the Textiles Committee at national level for supporting the stakeholders in registering their products and also successfully implementing the Post-GI Initiatives.
5. While speaking on this occasion, Ms. Roop Rashi, Textile Commissioner & Vice-Chairperson, Textiles Committee in her address as Guest of Honour  highlighted  the need and importance of registering unique textile & handicraft products under the GI Act, 1999 thereby  providing them legal protection  from unauthorised users and counterfeits and also ensuring higher premium on genuine products. She emphasised on the need to register more and more products for further strengthening the unique textiles & handicrafts of the country and protect livelihood of thousands of weavers & artisans associated with the products.
6. Addressing the Webinar, Shri Ajit B. Chavan, Secretary, Textiles Committee highlighted the activities undertaken by the Committee in furthering the GI movement in the country, which inter alia included organising  115 GI workshops/awareness programmes in key textile clusters of the country, finally resulting into 56 products under Part A and 1433 stakeholders as authorised user under Part B of the GI Act, 1999. He further informed that the Textiles Committee has facilitated registration of important products like  Banaras Sarees & Brocades and Lucknow Chikan Craft, Agra Durrie Work of Uttar Pradesh, Surat Zari, Pochampally Ikat, Paithani Saree, Kutch Bandhani etc.
7. The webinar was attended by 165 participants from representatives of the officers of the central and state governments, officers of District Industries and Enterprise Promotion Centre (DIC), the academicians, civil society organisations, experts on IPR and the producers of unique textile and handcrafted products.
8. The Technical Session deliberated on different facets of GI including Brand Promotion & Market Linkage of the GI Registered products. Two case studies on Chanderi Saree of Madhya Pradesh and Pochampally Ikat of Telangana were discussed at length for adoption in other GI registered product clusters. Dr. T.K. Rout, Dy. Director (MR), Textiles Committee deliberated on legal and procedural aspects of GI including benefits. Shi Mahesh Gulati, Dy. Director (Handloom & Handicrafts), Govt. of MP discussed benefits being accorded by the stakeholders of Chanderi Saree due to GI registration. Shri S. Krishna Kumar, GI expert presented a case study on Pochampally  Ikat and how post – GI initiatives bring about visible changes in form of increased production, income & employment for the weavers of the product. Shri Sachin Satvi, President, AYUSH, Maharashtra, presented on the infringement action. Padma Shri Dr. Rajnikanth, Director, HWA, Varanasi presented on GI as a marketing tool for realising premium price for unique textiles & handicrafts and Shri Pawan Agarwal, Jt. Commissioner, EPB, Govt. of UP had explained GI registered products of UP and ODOP Scheme.