Government to play role in copyright protection: Industry Minister Bhandari

Kathmandu, April 25: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Damodar Bhandari has said that the government would discharge the role of a guardian in the protection of copyrights.

He said this at a program jointly organized by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Department of Industry, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Office of the Copyrights Registration on the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day 2025 today.

“For intellectual property protection, policy reforms should be put in place to protect and promote intellectual property and original art and culture,” he said. The minister pledged that the government would take action against those involved in intellectual theft of the creations of Nepali creators and publish and broadcast them in their names.

Stressing the need to devise a public awareness campaign on the issue of intellectual property protection, Minister Bhandari urged cooperation from all sides to protect Nepal’s original and cultural traditions. Chairperson of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Chandra Prasad Dhakal stressed the need to increase the role of the State by encouraging the registration of intellectual property.

He urged the authorities concerned to make the complaints regarding trademarks and patents and the process of hearing simple and fast. The World Intellectual Property Organization has been celebrating this day since 2001. This year the theme for the Day was ‘Intellectual Property and Music: Feel the Beat of IP’.