Srinagar, July 22: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Home Department to review the measures undertaken for prevention of cybercrimes in the Union Territory, with particular focus on safeguarding citizens against emerging cyber threats, including Digital Arrest scams, phishing, online financial frauds, cyber slavery, identity theft and other cyber-enabled offences.
The meeting also reviewed the Action Taken Report (ATR) on the directions issued during the previous review and assessed the progress achieved in strengthening the institutional framework, investigative capacity, public awareness and inter-agency coordination for combating cybercrime in Jammu and Kashmir.
Those who attended the meeting includes Principal Secretary, Home; Commissioner Secretary, IT; Commissioner Secretary, GAD; Commissioner Secretary, Law; Scientists from NIC and officers from the Department of Public Grievances.
Chief Secretary while chairing this meeting observed that while the Government has created a comprehensive institutional framework to combat cybercrime in the Union Territory, its success would lie in its effective implementation and its ability to provide timely relief to citizens affected by cyber frauds.
Emphasising the need for sustained oversight, the Chief Secretary directed the Principal Secretary, Home, to undertake regular and comprehensive reviews of the functioning of the cybercrime prevention and response framework to ensure that all stakeholder departments and agencies work in close coordination. He stressed the importance of fostering seamless synergy among the Police, banks, financial institutions, telecom service providers, Information Technology Department and other concerned agencies to strengthen preventive mechanisms, expedite response to cyber incidents and safeguard citizens’ hard-earned money from organised cyber fraudsters.
Referring to the recently established Jammu & Kashmir Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (JK4C), the Chief Secretary said that the institution has been envisioned as the nodal mechanism for coordinated action against cybercrime in the Union Territory and should emerge as a robust, technology-driven platform for prevention, intelligence sharing, investigation, capacity building and inter-agency coordination.
He directed that the JK4C, headed by an Inspector General of Police and supported by senior police officers and technical experts, be provided with the requisite space and support to enable it to function to its fullest potential and effectively discharge its mandate in the service of the people.
Emphasising continuous capacity building, the Chief Secretary directed all Law Enforcement Agencies to ensure time-bound completion of CyTraincourses by police personnel and expedite the exposure visits of officers to States having established best practices in cybercrime prevention and investigation.
He observed that continuous upskilling of investigators and adoption of modern investigative techniques would significantly enhance the effectiveness of cybercrime investigations.
He expressed confidence that a well-equipped and efficiently functioning JK4C, working in close coordination with all stakeholders, would significantly strengthen the Union Territory’s capacity to prevent cybercrime, improve investigation and recovery of defrauded amounts, and instil greater public confidence in the Government’s ability to protect citizens in the digital domain.
Reviewing the awareness initiatives undertaken across the Union Territory, the Chief Secretary was informed by Principal Secretary, Home, Chandraker Bharti that cyber safety awareness programmes have been integrated into Police-Public meetings at the police station level, with awareness campaigns being continuously redesigned on the basis of analysis of cybercrime complaint trends.
Additionally the meeting was informed that twenty-three Cyber Police Stations have been established across all police districts in Jammu and Kashmir, significantly strengthening the cybercrime investigation network in the Union Territory.
Reviewing the progress made in strengthening institutional mechanisms, the Chief Secretary was apprised that the Government has notified the establishment of the Jammu & Kashmir Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (JK4C) to provide an integrated framework for prevention, investigation and coordination in cybercrime cases.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the implementation of the e-Zero FIR mechanism for cyber financial frauds involving amounts of ₹1 lakh and above. He observed that prompt registration of complaints coupled with seamless integration of the mechanism with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) would considerably improve the capacity of law enforcement agencies to initiate immediate action for freezing fraudulent transactions and recovering defrauded amounts.
The meeting also reviewed the utilisation of advanced cyber investigation platforms including Sahyog, Samanvaya and Pratibimb for interstate coordination, hotspot mapping, content takedown and investigation of organised cybercrime networks.
Reiterating that prevention through awareness remains the most effective strategy against cybercrime, the Chief Secretary called upon all departments to work in close coordination and adopt a whole-of-government approach to protect citizens from cyber threats. He further stressed the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms, improve intelligence sharing, leverage technological innovations and maintain sustained public outreach to build a resilient cyber security ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.
