In a serious bid to curb rising cyber crimes and further strengthen cyber security, the Maharashtra Cabinet chaired by Eknath Shinde on Wednesday gave its approval for a Rs 837 crore for the implementation of cyber security project in the state.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the citizens will now be able to lodge complaints though a phone at the call center which is open for 24 hours a day. Also complaints can be made using a mobile app or portal.
The complaint will be investigated with the help of advanced cyber technology, so as to get to the root of the crime, uncover the crime and prove the crime and increase the punishment.
Cybercrime has emerged as the largest organized crime in the world and there is a need to combat this problem using sophisticated technology. The use of the latest technology by citizens at all levels in the state is increasing and they are also facing various types of cyber fraud. Even criminally inclined people are using cyber technology to commit new crimes in a virtual manner.
Dealing with the complex nature of cybercrime has necessitated radical improvements and sophistication in the tools, resources and technologies currently available to tackle this menace effectively. Recognizing this need, the State Home Department has planned a project with state-of-the-art technology, skilled manpower and resources to curb cyber crime and make the state a ‘cyber safe’ state.
The project focuses on bringing together various latest tools and technologies under one roof. This will include Command and Control Centre, Technology Assisted Investigation, Center of Excellence, Cert Maharashtra, Cloud Based Data Centre, Security Operation Centre.
Further, the state government under this project will create a state-of-the-art citizen-centric platform that encompasses people, processes and technology. All cyber police stations in all police commissionerate/superintendent offices across the state will be linked with this project.
Officers and employees will be given up-to-date training to find the culprit and increase the punishment in these crimes.
A special campaign will be implemented to make citizens aware about cyber crimes. The implementation of this project will be reviewed from time to time by the High Level Empowered Committee of the Home Department.
The project will be implemented through the Special Inspector General of Police (Cyber).
As reported earlier, Mumbai witnessed a 70 per cent rise in cyber crime cases in 2022 compared to the previous year. At least 4,286 cases of cyber fraud were registered in Mumbai over a period of one year till November 2022.
As many as 1,294 cases of credit card and online frauds were registered in the city till November 2022 and of these, 37 have been solved. There were 2,216 cases involving online shopping, crypto currency investment, admissions in educational institutions, insurance, investment and jobs frauds registered during this period and 132 have been detected.
Of 4,268 cyber fraud cases registered in a year till November 2022, only 279 have been solved. Mumbai has five police stations dedicated to detect cyber crimes.
