MM TAX CLUB

The fourth edition of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Startup Forum was organized on 19th March 2024 in New Delhi. The initiative focused on broadening startup interactions among the SCO Member States, fostering an environment conducive to innovation, promoting job creation, and inspiring young talent to develop innovative solutions.

The plenary session of the forum witnessed physical participation from SCO Member States including a delegation of SCO startups, nodal agencies for startups at the Member States, senior government officials and diplomats. Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh delivered the keynote address highlighting the role of the Startup ecosystem in boosting the economy of a nation. Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Shri Sanjiv addressed the delegation about India’s startup journey and initiatives for promoting startups by the Government of India.

A showcase opportunity at the SCO Pavilion was provided where over 15 SCO startups showed their products and services. The showcase provided networking opportunities designed to inspire, educate, and empower these entrepreneurs. In addition, the delegates also attended a workshop conducted by Startup India on ‘Establishing a Seed Fund: A Strategic Approach to Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship’. The workshop included an interactive session to understand various models of setting up seed funds to support early-stage startups. The workshop provided participants with comprehensive insights into the strategic planning and execution involved in setting up a seed fund.

All Member States agreed to create a Special Working Group for Startups and Innovation (SWG) at the Summit of SCO Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 16th September 2022. Given the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in driving and diversifying an economy, India had proposed this initiative in 2020 to create a new pillar of cooperation between the SCO Member States. The SWG was created with the vision of fostering collaboration among SCO Member States, to not only benefit the startup ecosystem, but also accelerate regional economic development. In 2023, after multiple rounds of meetings chaired by DPIIT, the Member States decided to approve and adopt the Regulations of the SWG to be permanently chaired by India in SCO.

DPIIT has organised various initiatives for the startup ecosystems.By leading such engagements, India undertook an opportunity to expand the innovation footprint, knitting the whole ecosystem together and inspiring other SCO Member States to take up similar programs. The startup engagements are organised by India with the objective of empowering the local startup ecosystems in the SCO Member States and providing value to startups through mentoring and enabling access to investor and corporate engagement activities.

Going forward, India will host the second meeting of the SWG in November 2024 and SCO Startup Forum 5.0 in January 2025.

Previously, Startup India had organized various initiatives for SCO Member states including:

1.  SCO Startup Forum 1.0: The SCO Startup Forum in 2020 laid the foundation for multilateral cooperation and engagement for startups among the SCO Member States.

2.  SCO Startup Forum 2.0: The two-day Forum was held virtually in 2021 through a customized platform representing the Indian culture in augmented reality. SCO Startup Hub, a single point of contact for the SCO startup ecosystem, was launched in this forum.

3.  Focused Mentorship Program: A 3-month long virtual mentorship series ‘Starting-Up’ in 2022 was organized for the nominated startups, to build capacity among the SCO Startup founders. A total of 100+ hours of mentorship was provided to the startups.

4.  SCO Startup Forum 3.0: DPIIT organised the first ever physical SCO Startup Forum in 2023 for the SCO Member States. The delegates attended a workshop on ‘Role of Bilateral and  Multilateral Engagement in developing startup ecosystem’, followed by an incubator visit at IIT Delhi.

5. 1st Meeting of the SWG:The first Meeting of the SCO Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation (SWG), permanently chaired by India, was organised on the theme ‘Growing from Roots’ in 2023. 25 representatives from the 9 SCO Member States participated in the meeting and presented their respective startup ecosystems and prospective areas of collaboration related to the agriculture and animal husbandry sectors covered in the theme.

I am directed to state that in exercise of the power conferred on it by Article 324 of Constitution and Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission has deployed Expenditure Observers (as per list enclosed) for General Elections to Legislative Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, 2024, announced by the Commission vide its Press Notes dated 16th March, 2024.

2. Under Section 13CC of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and Section 28A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, they will be deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission during the period they are working as Observer. Working as Observers of the Election Commission they will be subject to the control, superintendence and discipline of the Election Commission with respect to their duties performed as Observers.

3. Observers are entitled for TA/DA as admissible on tour. They will draw TA/DA from their Ministry/Department/Office. The expenditure will be debitable to the Budget grant of their Ministry or Department/Office. They are also entitled to travel by air by any scheduled commercial flight of any airlines. However, whenever they travel by train, it shall be as per their entitled class.

4. The Officers are also required to go through the latest "Compendium of Instructions on Election Expenditure Monitoring (January, 2024)" available on the ECI website www.eci.gov.inMenn-Conipendium of Instructions-Compendium of Instructions on Election Expenditure Monitoring (January, 2024).

5. The officers may be informed that-

(i) The officers are required to upload their photograph in the Personal Information Sheet on the Observer portal. This is required for printing of Identity Cards.

(ii) User id and password for accessing the Observer portal is 'Observer Code' mentioned against his/her name. The officers should change their passwords on first login, if they so wish.

(iii) The officers are requested to remain in contact with their Nodal Officer.

6. The Expenditure Observers who have been deployed by the Commission are required to make three visits to the constituencies assigned to them as under:

First Visit: On date of Notification i.e. 20th March, 2024 for 03 days

Second Visit: One day before the last date of making nomination i.e. 26.03.2024 upto date of poll i.e. 19.04.2024

Third Visit: On 25th day of declaration of election result

7. Appointment letters of Expenditure Observers are enclosed. You are requested to deliver the appointment letters to the respective Expenditure Observer immediately.

I am directed to encloN herewith Election Commission of India’s letter No. 464/ECI/GE LS/BM/Exp. Obs/EEPS/2024 dated 19.03.2024 on the subject mentioned above and to inform that 3 IRS (CLIT) Officers have been deployed by the Election Commission of India for General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2024. The deployed officers are required to make their first visit to the assigned ACs/District Hq. on 20.03.2024.

2.         It is requested that the directions of the Election Commission of India. contained in the letters, may be communicated to the concerned IRS (C&IT) officers.

The Income Tax Department, under its commitment to assist the Election Commission of India in curbing the role of black money in elections, encourages the residents to contribute to the process of ensuring clean and fair General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2024.

To achieve this goal, Directorate of Income Tax (Investigation), Delhi has made several arrangements to keep a vigil on the movement of unaccounted cash, bullion & other valuables, likely/suspected to be used for electoral purposes, during the Model Code of Conduct within the NCT of Delhi.

Among other measures, the Directorate has opened a 24X7 Control Room at Civic Centre, New Delhi, and has also issued a Toll-free Number where any person can communicate with and give any information to the Income Tax Department regarding suspicious movement/distribution of cash, bullion & other valuables etc within the NCT of Delhi, in connection with the General Elections to Lok Sabha, 2024. Details of the Control Room are as under:

Room No. 17, Ground Floor, C- Block, Civic Centre, New Delhi-110002 Toll Free Number: 1800112300

Landline Numbers: 011-23232312/31/67/76 Toll-free Mob. Number: 9868168682

Residents can contact the Toll-Free Number, and callers to the Control Room need not disclose any personal details, such as name or other details of identity. What is vital is that the information received is credible and actionable.

The Control Room shall be functional during the entire period of Model Code of Conduct in Delhi, i.e, from the date of announcement of General Elections 2024, till the same are over in Delhi. In the spirit of free & fair elections, the citizens are requested to extend their help by sharing relevant information with the Directorate on the above-mentioned numbers, in respect of NCT of Delhi. The identity of the informant shall be kept secret.