215 products registered as geographical indication: Govt

As many as 215 products were registered as geographical indication (GI) till December 15, 2014, government said today.
Geographical Indication identifies a product whose quality, reputation and other characteristics are attributable to its geographic origin.
"As on December 15, the GI registry, Chennai had received 503 applications and 215 number of products were registered as GI," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
She also said that 265 applications are pending as on December 15 at different stages of proceedings due to various reasons.
"The delay and pendency is due to the non-compliance of the necessary legal requirements by the applicants ...," she said.

Replying to a separate question on compulsory licensing (CL), she said that the Health and Family Welfare Minister was requested to furnish further information on Dasatinib.

So far, one CL has been granted by India for the anti-cancer drug used for treatment of kidney and liver cancer.
Replying to a separate question on patents, the minister said that patent applications filed by the Indian applicants was 25 per cent of the total number of applications filed in 2013-14 as compared to 22 per cent in 2012-13 and 20 per cent in 2011-12.
"The factors responsible for low percentage of patent applications filed by Indian applicants may include the lack of awareness about the patent system and its benefits, lack of proper planning by Indian industry for building of patent portfolio and lack of modern research facilities in Indian industry," she said.

Government has taken many proactive steps to increase awareness among Indian industry.