Database to monitor hawala, terrorist activities soon: Amit Shah

BENGALURU: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has had a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism from the very first day. Speaking after inaugurating the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) Bengaluru premises on Tuesday, Shah said that the Government has entrusted the task of developing and operating a state-of-the-art and innovative information technology platform for accessing information from the data collection organizations to NATGRID.

Pointing out that security requirements today have changed significantly as compared to the earlier security challenges in terms of data, scope and complexity, Shah said there is a need for legal and security agencies to have automated, secure and immediate access to information obtained from reliable sources.

The Home Minister said the Union Government will soon be developing a national database to monitor hawala transactions, terrorist funding, counterfeit currency, narcotics, bomb threats, illegal arms smuggling and other terrorist activities.

He said intelligence and legal agencies should now be able to make full use of them with the barriers to critical data being removed. With the help of data analytics and information technology, there should be a paradigm shift in the current way of working of agencies. He expressed hope that NATGRID will fulfill the responsibility of linking various sources of data.

The Union Home Minister said NATGRID should have an in-built mechanism for continuous upgradation. There should be a study group in NATGRID to create a database of modus operandi of various crimes committed within the country.

Shah said that C-DAC is implementing NATGRID in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a self-reliant India. He said for quick and effective analysis, information should not be kept in silos, as it does not result in the analysis of information and getting it properly done in time. The Home Minister said that for analysis of information, it is important that Accessible, Affordable, Available, Accountable and Actionable points are kept in mind.

He requested user agencies to exercise caution and discretion in using this system, which should be used only for the correct purposes.

They should also ensure that as much as possible, data from the system is used to improve their efficiency. He emphasized that privacy and security of data is a very serious matter and assured that necessary protocols have been put in place to ensure that there is no unauthorized access to the personal data of any citizen through this system at any point of time.

The Union Home Minister said the Police Technology Mission announced by Prime Minister Modi in the Director Generals of Police Conference will start soon.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra, Union Minister of State for Home Nishith Pramanik and the Union Home Secretary were present at the event

The NATGRID CEO informed that the services of NATGRID solution will be available to 11 Central agencies and police of all States and Union Territories. It will link user agencies with data holders, giving them access to real-time information needed for intelligence services and investigations. C-DAC Pune has been roped in as Technology Partner and IIT, Bhilai as Plan Management Consultant for the development of NATGRID solution. (IANS)

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