'Products of N Bengal need to be branded under IPR registration'

Siliguri: Rajiva Sinha, chairman, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation suggested that products unique to North Bengal need to be branded under the Intellectual Property Rights Registration.

Sinha, addressing an interactive session on entrepreneurship and industries in North Bengal, complained that products from this region are hardly branded.

"Priority has to be given to branding of all unique products and processing of unique products of North Bengal under the Intellectual Property Rights Registration (IPRR.) It is not a costly or a difficult exercise" stated Sinha.

He suggested that products like Kalimpong Lollipop; Gundruk (fermented leafy vegetable;) Churpi (milk product ;) Pickles (product and process) from the Hills should be branded under the IPRR .

"Form a committee. Club all these products and give it a name like Kanchenjunga or Himalayan products) and apply for registration under IPRR" suggested the chairman.

He stated that the second stage of branding is applying for Geographical Indication (GI.) "The process for GI is both difficult and complex. It needs a lot of research," added Sinha.

The Confederation of Indian Industries had organized the interactive session in Siliguri attended by entrepreneurs from the eight districts of North Bengal.

Sinha also stressed on tea tourism. "The state government has allowed the use of 15 per cent of the total land under a tea garden to be used for other purposes than tea cultivation. It can be used for tourism, hospitality, horticulture and schools," stated the chairman.