Cyber attacks:Government is keeping a close watch on development says IT Minister

NEW DELHI:On recent reports of cyber-attacks, India's IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that advisories have been issued and government is keeping a close watch on the developments.

"Increasing Digitalization has made strengthening of cyber security imperative. Expansion & strengthening is on the priority of the Government of India. On recent reports of cyber-attacks, he said advisories have been issued & government is keeping a close watch on the developments," said Prasad at the two-day National Convention on Digitalization: Opportunities & Challenges.

"It is in constant touch with International Agencies. A number of initiatives have been recently taken to further strengthen cyber security. Specialized CERTs are being set-up for vital sectors. Cyber experts are being stationed in all departments. Even state Government been advised to strengthen cyber security," he said.

The workshop has been organized to support the initiatives of Government of India towards Digital India by bringing together all concerned stakeholders like MeitY, implementing agencies like Oracle, Google, Knowledge Partners like KPMG besides others.

Prasad appreciated the efforts of the officials for joining this convention on Digitalization and providing key services to the grassroots. Digital India being one of the most important programmes of the Government of India, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) always focus on digital financial services and e-commerce. MeitY, as a key ministry under the Government of India and the enabler of Digital India programme, has undertaken numerous revolutionary initiatives around IT/ ITeS and electronic manufacturing that have put India on the global map.

Speaking at the event,  Prasad said, “Digitalization has become an umbilical cord of the Indian Public Sector for all their day to day work. Digital India is designed to transform India with a clear objective of not only Digitally Enabled India but Digitally Empowered India. Good governance is a base of Digital Platform which is a helping instrument for transformation. In India, we have already missed the industrial revolution, the entrepreneurial revolution which happened world over long back for many reasons, but this time we don’t want to miss the Digital Revolution. We aspire to become the world leader not only by digital empowerment but also want to create digital inclusion by bridging the gap between the digital have and digital have not’s.”

“The poor, underprivileged and marginalized should have bigger access to this Digital platform and should be available to everyone at every corner. Therefore, digital India is more for poor, more for underprivileged along with an affordable technology and should aim at bringing the equality among people," he added.

He said the government’s initiative in taking BPOs to smaller town needs support of state & enterprises for achieving the enshrined objective. Public sector enterprises should extend supporting hand for making it successful.

While addressed the participants, the Minister said that India is well set to become US$ 1 Trillion Digital Economy in coming years and it rather looks an easy target as the electronic manufacturing factories are joining hands with the Government which firmly believes in openness, supportive and proactive approach. In last 3 years 72 mobile manufacturing factories and 31 battery charger factories are already working through which we aim to stride forward to make India a truly global Digital economy.