North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS)

        About the Scheme:

• North East Industrial Development Scheme (NEIDS) has been launched to further catalyse the industrial development in the North Eastern Region including Sikkim.
• It has come into force from 01.04.2017 and will remain in force up to 31.03.2022. The Scheme covers new units in manufacturing and services sectors.
• The scheme provides for Central Capital Investment Incentive for access to credit, Central Interest Incentive, Central Comprehensive Insurance Incentive, Goods and Services Tax Reimbursement, Income Tax Reimbursement, Transport Incentive; and Employment Incentive to the extent indicated in the gazette notification against each of the components.

         The scheme provides

1. Central Capital Investment Incentive (30% of the investment in plant & machinery with an upper limit of Rs. 5 crore)
2.  Central Interest Incentive (3% interest on working capital for 5 years)
3. Central Comprehensive Insurance Incentive (Reimbursement of 100% insurance premium for 5 years)
4. Income Tax Reimbursement of centre’s share for 5 years.
5. GST reimbursement of Central Govt. share of CGST & IGST for 5 years.
6. Employment Incentive under which additional 3.67% of the employer’s contribution to EPF in addition to Govt. bearing  8.33% Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) contribution of the employer in PMRPY and
7. Transport incentive on finished goods movement by Railways(20% cost of the transportation), by Inland Waterways Authority (20% of the cost of transportation) & by air (33% of cost transportation of air freight) from the station/port/airport nearest to unit to the station/port/airport nearest to the destination point. Also, under this scheme, a single unit can avail overall benefits up to Rs. 200 Crores.

National IPR Policy, 2016

The National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Policy 2016 was adopted on 12.5.2016 as a vision document to guide future development of IPRs in the country. This has led to the following achievements:-

1. Strengthening of Institutional Mechanism

• The administration of Copyright Act, 1957 and Semiconductor Integrated Circuits Layout-Design Act, 2000 has been transferred to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.
• This has enabled an integrated approach and synergy between different IP offices and Acts. Under the Finance Act 2017, the Copyright Board has also been merged with the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB).

2. Clearing Backlog/ Reducing Pendency

• Various steps undertaken by the Government, including augmentation of technical manpower, have resulted in drastic reduction in pendency in IP applications. The patent applications pending for examination have reduced from 1,97,934 as on 31.3.2016 to 1,39,274 as on 31.10.2018. As regards trademarks, the number has come down from 2,59,668 to 32,619 in the same period.
• Automatic issuance of electronically generated patent and trademark certificates has been introduced.

3. Increase in Filings

• Patent filings have increased by nearly 7% in the first 8 months of 2018-19 vis-à-vis the corresponding period of 2017-18.
• Trademark filings have increased by nearly 28% in this duration.

4. IP Process Re-engineering

• Patent Rules, 2003 has been amended to streamline processes and make them more user friendly.
• Expedited Examination of patents is now permitted on certain grounds. In fact, the shortest time taken to grant a patent recently has been just 81 days from the filing of the request for examination.
• Totally revamped Trade Marks Rules, 2017 have been notified on 6th March, 2017.
• Nearly 200 international MoUs received from various Central Ministries/ Departments/ organizations have been vetted from IPR angle in time bound manner in the past 1 year.
• India has acceded to the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT), which extend coverage of copyright to the internet and digital environment.

 5.  Creating IPR Awareness

IPR Awareness programs have been conducted in over 200 academic institutions, including rural schools through satellite communication, and for industry, police, customs and judiciary.

6.  IPRs in School Syllabus

Content on IPRs has been included in the NCERT curriculum of Commerce stream.

7.  Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISCs)

 In conjunction with WIPO, 6 TISCs have been established in various institutions across different states.

8.  Global Innovation Index (GII)

India’s rank in the GII Report issued by WIPO has improved from 81st in 2015 to 57th place in 2018.

9.  IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police

A IPR Enforcement Toolkit have been prepared to assist police officials in dealing with IP crimes, in particular, Trademark counterfeiting and Copyright piracy. 

About National IPR Policy 2016:

• The National IPR Policy is a vision document that aims to create and exploit synergies between all forms of intellectual property (IP), concerned statutes and agencies.
• It sets in place an institutional mechanism for implementation, monitoring and review.
• It aims to incorporate and adapt global best practices to the Indian scenario. This policy shall weave in the strengths of the Government, research and development organizations, educational institutions, corporate entities including MSMEs, start-ups and other stakeholders in the creation of an innovation-conducive environment, which stimulates creativity and innovation across sectors, as also facilitates a stable, transparent and service-oriented IPR administration in the country.
• The Policy recognizes that India has a well-established TRIPS-compliant legislative, administrative and judicial framework to safeguard IPRs, which meets its international obligations while utilizing the flexibilities provided in the international regime to address its developmental concerns. 
• It reiterates India’s commitment to the Doha Development Agenda and the TRIPS agreement.
• While IPRs are becoming increasingly important in the global arena, there is a need to increase awareness on IPRs in India, be it regarding the IPRs owned by oneself or respect for others’ IPRs.
• The importance of IPRs as a marketable financial asset and economic tool also needs to be recognised.
• For this, domestic IP filings, as also commercialization of patents granted, need to increase. Innovation and sub-optimal spending on R&D too are issues to be addressed.

 The broad contours of the National IPR Policy are as follows:

Vision Statement: An India where creativity and innovation are stimulated by Intellectual Property for the benefit of all; an India where intellectual property promotes advancement in science and technology, arts and culture, traditional knowledge and biodiversity resources; an India where knowledge is the main driver of development, and knowledge owned is transformed into knowledge shared.

Mission Statement:

Stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced intellectual property rights system in India to:

• foster creativity and innovation and thereby, promote entrepreneurship and enhance socio-economic and cultural development, and
• focus on enhancing access to healthcare, food security and environmental protection, among other sectors of vital social, economic and technological importance.

Objectives:

The Policy lays down the following seven objectives:

1. IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion - To create public awareness about the economic, social and cultural benefits of IPRs among all sections of society.
2. Generation of IPRs - To stimulate the generation of IPRs.
3. Legal and Legislative Framework - To have strong and effective IPR laws, which balance the interests of rights owners with larger public interest.
4. Administration and Management - To modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR administration.
5. Commercialization of IPRs - Get value for IPRs through commercialization.
6. Enforcement and Adjudication - To strengthen the enforcement and adjudicatory mechanisms for combating IPR infringements.
7. Human Capital Development - To strengthen and expand human resources, institutions and capacities for teaching, training, research and skill building in IPRs.

These objectives are sought to be achieved through detailed action points. The action by different Ministries/ Departments shall be monitored by DIPP which shall be the nodal department to coordinate, guide and oversee implementation and future development of IPRs in India.

Green Good Deeds Campaign:

         About Green Good Deeds Campaign:

• Green Good Deeds, the societal movement launched by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change to protect environment and promote good living in the country, has earned worldwide accolades.
• “Green Good Deeds” is an idea to take environmental awareness to the people and get them involved. Formally launched in January 2018, the campaign lauds small positive actions performed by individuals or organisations to strengthen the cause of environmental protection.
• The Ministry has drawn up a list of over 600 Green Good Deeds and asked people to alter their behaviour to Green Good Behaviour to fulfill their Green Social Responsibility.
• These small, positive actions, to be performed by individuals or organisation to strengthen the cause of environmental protection have been enlisted on a mobile App called Dr Harsh Vardhan App.
• Spread awareness amongst the general public of India about Green Good Deeds, MoEFCC has prepared high quality Audio-visual creatives in collaboration with Shri Amitabh Bachhan.
• MoEFCC has released the same on various media platforms viz. TV News Channels, Digital Cinemas, FM Channels, Doordarshan, Lok Sabha and Raj TV etc.
• Students under Eco-clubs are implementing the Green Good Deeds (GGDs) initiative which seeks to transform the people’s behaviour into Green Good Behaviour and fulfil Green Social Responsibility.
• A ten point agenda has been developed to implement the GGDs through Nodal agencies in State/UTs implementing the Ecoclub programme. Various activities covered under GGDs like cleanliness drives within the school campus, carry out waste segregation into biodegradable and non-biodegradable, paper re-cycling and conducting tree plantation drives etc are being implemented across the country by the students.
• The green attitude is visible in their actions. Further GREEN GOOD DEEDS event was successfully organised on 6.10.2018 at India International Science Festival (IISF) 2018 held at Indira Gandhi Prathishthan, Lucknow.
• Event was inaugurated by Dr. A.K. Mehta Additional Secretary, MoEFCC. Exhibition showcasing the success stories under Eco club programme. Around 200 Eco club students from Uttar Pradesh participated in the Drawing and Essay competitions.

Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana

The Ministry is implementing Aajeevika Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY), the sub-scheme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) to facilitate transport facilities in the rural areas and also provide job opportunities to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) under DAY-NRLM.

AGEY has the following two objectives:

1. To provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural transport services to connect remote villages with key services and amenities (including access to markets, education and health) for the overall economic development of the area by making use of the supports available within the framework of DAY-NRLM.

2. To provide an alternative source of livelihoods to members of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their families under DAY-NRLM by facilitating them to operate public transport services in backward rural areas, as identified by the States.

• The scheme is currently being implemented in 18 States and 624 vehicles are operational under the scheme as on 30th November, 2018.
• AGEY was to be implemented in 250 blocks across the country on a pilot basis. Rajasthan was allocated 9 blocks under AGEY. The responsibility of identifying the blocks lies with the State government.
• There is no separate budgetary allocation under AGEY. Under the programme, the Community Investment Fund (CIF) provided to Community Based Organisations (CBOs) under the existing provisions of DAY-NRLM are utilised for providing interest free loans to the SHG members.
• AGEY aims to provide connectivity to rural areas through vehicles operated by SHG members.
• State Rural Livelihoods Missions (SRLMs) in consultation with Community Based Organisations (CBOs) under DAY – NRLM identify routes where roads have been constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) but has poor transport services.
• SHG members are then provided interest free loans by the CBOs for operating vehicles on the identified routes based on financial viability.