Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Science, Technology and Innovation Council (JKST&IC) is setting up a centre to help researchers protect their intellectual property rights, officials on Saturday said.
The facilitation-cum-information centre is being set up in collaboration with the Union government’s department of Science and Technology (DST), a senior government official said.
Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology department, said the centre will encourage the researchers to protect their intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
Speaking at a startup expo inaugurated by Union minister Jitendra Singh here, the official said the JKST&IC is actively trying to partner with other science and tech councils and the DST for strengthening the science, technology, and innovation ecosystem in the Union Territory.
“JKST&IC has started the support for innovation and patent filing scheme wherein it provides financial support to the innovators in the form of seed money that would help them start,” he said.
He said many institutions have been taken into a loop for identifying the innovators here in NIT, IIT and other research institutions, so that their ideas could be examined by a scientific advisory committee or technical Committee.
The aim is to link them with the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (Icreate), Ahmadabad – if their ideas are found worthwhile – for further incubation and convert their ideas into businesses.
Bhagat said the JKST&IC has been able to provide financial support to the tune of Rs 5.50 crore to 123 short-term and mid-term research and development projects from various universities.
He requested the Union minister to support the council to take up more R&D projects, as many problems are still to be addressed, especially among the rural population.
The Commissioner Secretary said that the Jammu administration has recently identified a site measuring nearly five hectares in Chowadi-Sunjwan to set up a Sub-Regional Science Centre-cum- Museum in collaboration with the National Council of Science Museums of the Ministry of Culture.
He also urged Singh to help the council set up other parks, such as Robotics Park, Life Science Park, Aquatic Gallery, S&T Park, and Nature Park on lines of those that exist in Science City, Ahmadabad.
He expressed gratitude to the Union minister for helping the administration establish two Industrial Biotechnology Parks (ITBPs), one each in Ghati, Kathua and in Handwara, Kupwara district of Kashmir.
The IBTP in Kathua was inaugurated by Singh in May 2022. The IBTP in Handwara is expected to be inaugurated by February, 2023, he said.
Bhagat said both the IBTP will prove to be a game changer for the people of J&K as the start-ups can partner with these parks for making various aromatic and medicinal plants incubated in these parks,
The JKST&IC is also embarking on a joint venture with the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicines (IIIM), Jammu regarding the K-5000 project where 5,000 kanal (250 hectares) of land is to be cultivated for making demonstration farms of aromatic and medicinal plants.
