Rajnath Singh orders for enhanced cyber security

New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has directed intelligence and security agencies to further enhance technical and legal capabilities to deal with increasing cases of financial cyber crimes especially ones linked to usage of cards and e-wallets. 

Mr Singh chaired a meeting on the same on Tuesday which was attended by senior officials from the home ministry as well intelligence and security agencies who also gave detailed presentations on the pattern of online financial crimes. 

The agencies were clearly directed to further enhance their capabilities as Modi government has been focusing on shifting gradually towards a cashless economy, said sources.The Centre’s demonetisation scheme announced last year had seen a sharp increase in online and cyber financial transactions. 

The security agencies have been directed to further strengthen their surveillance mechanism in a time-bound manner which would include upgrading the existing technology and recruiting specialised professionals to deal with such incidents.  

Also, an inter-ministerial committee will be formed which will hold consultations with various stakeholders like police, judiciary, banking and financial sector as well as cyber and forensic experts.  

The committee will formulate a roadmap which would be put in place within a specific period. In the past three years, as many as 1.44 lakh cases of cyber crime and attacks have been reported. According to the sources, there has been a gradual increase in the cases of cyber crime ranging from 20 to 69 per cent over a period of four years.