PHDCCI takes IPR awareness to border districts of J&K

Srinagar, Feb 26: In a bid to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in the Union Territory of J&K, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), through its Intellectual Property Facilitation Centre (IPFC) and with support from the Office of the Development Commissioner (DC-MSME), organised a series of awareness programmes on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in the border districts of Poonch, Rajouri and Doda.

Held in collaboration with the respective District Industries Centres, the programmes aimed to familiarise MSMEs, aspiring entrepreneurs, startups and academicians with the importance of protecting intellectual assets such as trademarks, patents and industrial designs.

The first programme was held at the College Ground auditorium in Poonch. Addressing the gathering, Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma encouraged local youth to embrace entrepreneurship and take advantage of government schemes such as HADP, PMEGP and Mumkin/Yuwa. He underlined the need to protect innovative ideas through timely IPR filing and noted that the PHDCCI-IPFC Centre provides expert mentoring and guidance. General Manager, DIC Poonch, Naeem ul Nisa briefed participants on key development initiatives including RAMP and PMEGP.

A similar programme at the ITI auditorium in Rajouri saw active participation from the local business community. The session was led by Harpal Singh , General Manager, DIC Rajouri, along with Rafaqat Aziz, Functional Manager, DIC Rajouri. For many entrepreneurs, it marked their first formal exposure to the basics of trademarks, patents and designs. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Ujjwal Mahajan, Principal, ITI Rajouri.

The outreach concluded in Doda with a programme at the District Employment Office auditorium. The session was led by Neeraj Sharma, Industries Promotion Officer, DIC Doda, and was attended by representatives from allied departments, including the Entrepreneurship Development Institute, KVIB and the Chief Horticulture Office. The programme helped bridge knowledge gaps on IPR among local stakeholders.

Across all three districts, technical sessions were delivered by Shahid Khan, IPFC and Business Development Expert, who explained the filing processes for trademarks, patents and designs and highlighted how IPR protection can enhance business growth and competitiveness. The Deputy Director, IPFC, PHDCCI, also briefed participants on the MSME Innovative Scheme, detailing IPR-related incentives and reimbursement benefits, and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to providing mentoring and handholding support to innovators and entrepreneurs in J&K.