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1. The Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE), launched by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), has streamlined the process of company closures, reducing it to 70-90 days. C-PACE centralizes and expedites the voluntary winding-up of companies, aiming to complete the process within six months. Since August 5, 2024, it also handles eForms for striking off Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs). Operating under the Registrar of Companies (RoC), C-PACE enhances Ease of Doing Business by eliminating the need for physical interaction. The Companies Act, 2013 allows the RoC to remove a company's name from the register, and voluntary liquidation under Section 59 of the IBC no longer requires NCLT intervention. Comparatively, company winding-up takes 90-180 days in the US and over a year in Germany.
2. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has introduced revised guidelines for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), mandating a minimum annual dividend payment of 30% of profit after tax (PAT) or 4% of net worth, whichever is higher. This replaces the 2016 guidelines, which required a 30% PAT dividend or 5% of net worth. The new guidelines also apply to CPSE subsidiaries where the parent enterprise holds more than 51% stake. Additionally, CPSEs with market prices below book value for six months and a net worth of at least Rs 3,000 crore may consider share buybacks, while those with reserves exceeding 20 times their paid-up equity can issue bonus shares. Share buybacks involve a company reacquiring its shares, and bonus shares are extra shares provided to existing shareholders at no cost. DIPAM oversees the management of central government investments and disinvestment in CPSEs.
3. The Supreme Court (SC) of India emphasized the need to balance wildlife conservation with the needs of local communities in its ruling concerning the operation of private buses through the core and buffer zones of Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand. The case was related to a 2020 decision allowing private buses in the core area, which had been stayed since 2021. Under Section 38(O) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, tiger reserves like Corbett cannot be diverted for ecologically unsustainable uses without approval from the National Board for Wildlife, following recommendations from the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The Jim Corbett National Park, India's oldest national park, was established in 1936 and is crucial for the conservation of the Bengal tiger. The core zone is strictly protected, while the buffer zone permits human activities that are compatible with conservation goals.
4. The Ministry of Defence recently launched Eklavya, an online learning platform for Indian Army officers, aimed at enhancing their professional education and training. This initiative is part of the Decade of Transformation (2023-2032) and the 2024 Year of Technology Absorption. Developed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), Gandhinagar, the platform offers 96 courses from 17 Category ‘A’ Training Establishments. These courses are divided into three categories: Pre-course Preparatory Capsules, which convert offline physical courses into online formats; Appointment/Assignment Related Courses, covering areas like information warfare, financial planning, and discipline; and the Professional Development Suite, with courses on strategy, leadership, operational art, and emerging technologies. Eklavya also features a centralized “Knowledge Highway”, providing access to journals, research papers, and articles, all accessible from a single platform.
5. The Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) framework, launched in 2020 by the Department of Telecom (DoT), aims to expand internet access across India by setting up affordable public Wi-Fi hotspots, especially in rural areas. As of November 2024, 246,993 hotspots have been installed under the initiative. The framework allows local businesses to set up Wi-Fi hotspots without the need for licenses or fees, promoting ease of doing business and ensuring quick deployment. The PM-WANI ecosystem includes Public Data Offices (PDOs) for providing connectivity, PDO Aggregators (PDOAs) for service management, and App Providers for user authentication and hotspot registration. The initiative supports the goals of the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018, which aimed for 10 million public hotspots by 2022. However, India fell short with only 0.5 million hotspots achieved. The Bharat 6G Vision targets 50 million hotspots by 2030 to further enhance digital inclusion.