Jharkhand government eyeing intellectual property rights for Peda and Sohrai

Source: newindianexpress.com

RANCHI: With the intention of claiming patents on Deoghar’s ‘peda’ and ‘Sohrai’ painting of Hazaribagh, the State Government has decided to conduct a research survey for guidance in establishing intellectual property rights and geographical indicators of Jharkhand, outsourcing the work to the National Law School of India in Bengaluru.

The State Cabinet on Tuesday sanctioned Rs 33.55 lakh for the purpose.

The Cabinet gave its approval for research, survey and filing application for the registration of Geographical Indication of Jharkhand and guiding in establishing intellectual property rights centre for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Officials said that the survey will be focused on MSMEs and the research will help them get intellectual property rights over products.

The MSME Centre in Ranchi will function as the nodal office for this survey. The famous Deoghar peda and Hazaribagh Sohrai art and many other products and art forms of Jharkhand may also come under this survey,” Urban Development Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh told the media on Wednesday.

Peda is offered to Lord Shiva at Deoghar. As per an estimate, annual turnover of peda is around Rs 50 crore, with a remarkable increase during Shrawani Mela.

Sohrai painting, on the other hand, is an indigenous art form practised by the women, where ritualistic art is done on mud walls to welcome the harvest season and to celebrate cattle.