Registering of bio-assets

After holding wider consultations with the experts and officials of the State Biodiversity Boards, format of the model People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) has been finalized and communicated to the State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) to facilitate and promote the preparation of PBRs by the Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs). So far, 350 PBRs have been completed.

Studies carried out by the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) team in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) during 2000, 2003 and 2005, have indicated that the patents granted at the international patents offices based on Indian traditional knowledge are increasing. To prevent the grant of such wrong patents, the CSIR in collaboration with the Department of Ayush, is developing TKDL on the codified knowledge on Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Yoga. So far, approximately 2.19 lakh formulations have been transcribed in five international languages under TKDL. Access to TKDL databases is provided to international patent officers to enable their patent examiners for establishing prior art, in case of patent applications based on Indian Systems of Medicine. Based on the TKDL evidence, intention to grant patent on two patent applications has been set aside and twelve patent applications have been withdrawn at the European Patent Office.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Dr. Viney Kumar Pandey ‘Vinnu’ in Lok Sabha today.

KP