On July 19, 2024, the Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Ministry of Communications (MoC) unveiled the theme of the 8th India Mobile Congress (IMC) i.e. ‘The Future is Now‘.
- The theme highlights India’s central role in technological evolution and IMC 2024, which is scheduled for October 15-18 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi.
- It will be co-hosted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), MoC and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), New Delhi(Delhi).
Note: India will also host two prestigious international conferences alongside IMC 2024: the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024 and the Global Standards Symposium (GSS) 2024, scheduled from October 14th to 24th, 2024.
Key Points:
i.App & Portal: He launched the IMC 2024 Application (App) and Website (https://www.indiamobilecongress.com/) for registration.
- With this, the opening of the registrations for Delegates, Visitors, Academia/College, Government and Media is initiated.
ii.Scheme: He also launched the Testing Scheme with a total fund allocation of Rs. 25 crore for Start-ups & Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the telecom sector.
- The scheme will reimburse up to Rs 50 lakhs per startup or MSE for testing and certification costs essential for product quality and market access.
- Startups will receive 75% reimbursement, micro- enterprises 60%, and small enterprises 50%, reflecting DoT’s commitment to equitable support for growth and innovation in the telecom industry.
iii.Agreement: He oversaw the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh(UP)-based National Telecommunications Institute for Policy Research, Innovation & Training (NTIPRIT) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) for capacity building in the areas of Cybersecurity.
- It should be noted that recently, NTIPRIT, National Institute of Communication Finance (NICF), and Wireless Monitoring Training & Development Centre (WMTDC) merged into single administrative entity, ‘National Communication Academy (NCA)’. Click Here to Read About it.
iv.During the event, a commitment is also made for notifying the rules of The Telecom Act 2023 within the next 180 days.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Excellence Awards 2023:
At the event, DoT announced conferment of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Excellence Awards 2023 for exceptional contributions in Telecom Innovations, Telecom Skilling, Telecom Services, Telecom Manufacturing, and Telecom Applications.
List of Awards and Awardees:
| Name of Awardee | Reason for Award |
|---|---|
| Dr. Kiran Kumar Kuchi, Professor IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Hyderabad, Telangana | For exceptional contributions to the advancement of telecommunications technology and mentorship |
| Bengaluru, Karnataka-based Elena Geo Systems Private Limited | For exceptional contributions in advancing of NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation )-based devices and applications |
| Bengaluru, Karnataka-based Astrome Technologies Private Limited | For advancements in millimeter-wave multi-beam technology. |
| Bengaluru,Karnataka-based Tejas Networks Limited | For advancing Telecom Innovations and Equipment Manufacturing |
| Bengaluru, Karnataka-based Nivetti Systems Private Limited | For exceptional contributions to secure networking products |
About Awards:
Instituted by DoT in 2017 to encourage innovations in telecom sector, the award carries a shawl, citation, plaque, and cash reward of Rs 2 Lakh per awardee. A maximum of five awards will be given each year.
Recent Related News:
i.On May 9, 2024, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) organized ‘Telecom Design Collaboration Sprint’, first-of-its-kind initiative, at Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bengaluru, Karnataka. This collaboration is focused on deep-Tech rapid ideation and innovative solution developing a future-ready telecom stack.
ii.MoC notified that “The Post Office Act, 2023” came into force with effective from (w.e.f.) on 18th June, 2024. The Post Office Act, 2023 repealed the 125-year old Indian Post Office Act, 1898. According to the Act, the Government will not have any exclusive privilege over conveying letters.
About Ministry of Communications (MoC):
Union Minister– Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (Constituency- Guna, Madhya Pradesh(MP))
Minister of State (MoS)– Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar (Constituency- Guntur, Andhra Pradesh(AP))
