Recently, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched the system of issuing e-patent certificates after grant of patent.
The e-patent certificate will be generated through an automated system by the controller and transmitted to the email address of the authorized applicant/patent agent.
Thus it eliminates the delays in dispatch of patent certificates and ensures greater transparency.
Zonal Cultural Zones
The Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) to protect, preserve & promote various forms of traditional art and folk art throughout the country.
Each zone has a zonal headquarters where a zonal cultural center has been established and several states have membership in multiple zones.
The headquarters of 7 ZCC are Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Allahabad, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur.
No State/UT-wise funds are provided for promotion of traditional art and folk art.
However, annual grant-in-aid is provided to these 7 ZCCs for carrying out various cultural activities throughout the country.
Aarambh
Recently, Union Ministry of Rural Development has launched Aarambh - a mobile App for Rural road maintenance.
The app aims at use of GIS based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.
There is also another initiative in the name of “Aarambh” launched by network of organizations in India and Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in Britain.
It is the country's first-ever hotline to curb sexual abuse of children through the Internet and to remove child pornographic content online.
High Altitude Cloud Observatory
A high altitude cloud physics observatory has been established at Munnar, in Western Ghats.
It is used to observe cloud and rain processes over that region with state of the art observations.
The observatory will enable understanding of rainfall distribution and better characterization of rainfall processes in the numerical models used for prediction of monsoon rainfall.
Another high altitude cloud physics observatory is functional at Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra.
Islands Development Agency
It is the newly constituted agency for preparation of plans for holistic development of identified islands.
Recently, the agency’s first meeting was convened and headed by Union Home Minister.
Ten islands from Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshdweep have been identified by the government for improving maritime economy, preserving the eco-system and addressing security concerns.
The islands include Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman and Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep.
Outer Space Treaty
The Outer Space Treaty came into force in October 1967 and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
It laid the foundation for an international space law.
107 countries are parties to this treaty, including India.
It was formulated to bar its signatory countries from placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit of the Earth, on the Moon or any other celestial body or the outer space.
The treaty aimed to get the countries to use space exploration for peaceful purposes.
However, the Treaty does not prohibit the placement of conventional weapons in orbit and thus some highly destructive attack strategies such as kinetic bombardment are still potentially allowable.
Development of Industrially Backward States
The primary responsibility of industrial development of backward areas rests with the State Governments.
DIPP under Ministry of Commerce and Industry supplements the states’ efforts through the implementation of various schemes with a view to promote industrialization in industrially backward areas of the Country.
One such scheme is “Modified Industrial Infrastructure Up-gradation Scheme (MIIUS)” to upgrade infrastructure in existing Industrial Parks/Estates/Areas in North Eastern and Himalayan states.
However, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had decided to end the implementation of MIIUS in the backward states last year.
Instead, it approved the constitution of a Committee under the Chairmanship of CEO, NITI Aayog to deliberate on future policy for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
