TKDL to be made accessible to International Patent Office

New Delhi, Jun 29 (UNI) The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to covering the entire cost of Rs 10 crore for the Traditional Knowledge Digital library and making it accessible to the International Patent Offices.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi told mediapersons here that the cabinet has authorised National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (NISCAIR), CSIR, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to sign a non- disclosure agreement with International Patent Office, for making Traditional Knowledge Digital Library accessible to patent examiners.

This decision will enable NISCAIR and CSIR to sign the non-disclosure agreement and provide access to TKDL database 24 X 7 on secured portal as per the terms and conditions of the Access Agreement.

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) documents codified traditional knowledge on India's traditional medicine system in patent application format in five international languages. It would be completed at a cost of Rs 10 crore by December 2007, he said.

Mr Dasmunshi said that TKDL will prevent misappropriation of traditional knowledge information, particularly with respect to Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Yoga at International Patent Offices.

The non-disclosure agreement with the International Patent Offices will be negotiated without deviating from the core principles which include that access to TKDL by the examiners of an international Patent Office would only be utilised for patent search and examination.

Moreover, International Patent Offices and their examiners would not make any third party disclosure other than what is necessary and essential for the purpose of patent search and examination, he added.

UNI AJ VD HT1412