BENGALURU: After much deliberations, the state government on Thursday launched “Cybersecurity Policy 2024” with a focus on raising awareness and skill-building, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and technology integration.
This policy has been drafted jointly by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT and Science and Technology, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (e-Governance), and the Home Department, in consultation with stakeholders from the government and private sectors.
The government is looking at releasing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to tackle and prevent cyberattacks.
In all, Rs 103.87 crore will be allocated for five years. Of which, Rs 23.74 crore will go towards incentives and concessions. Under the policy, the department has announced an internship programme for 600 undergraduate and 120 postgraduate students. A stipend of Rs 10,000-Rs15,000 per month will be provided. This is aimed at introducing a skilled workforce in the domain.
Speaking after unveiling the policy, Priyank Kharge, Minister, IT-BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, said, “Bengaluru is the fourth largest tech cluster in the world. This policy aims at creating a robust cyber ecosystem in the country. Over 1,400 government services are provided through various portals. Having said that, the highest financial frauds in the country also happen in Karnataka with Bengaluru in the top position, followed by Mandya. Keeping this in mind, a lot of awareness and skill development is needed.”
He said, “The government is ready to collaborate and provide a talented workforce. We want to skill local for global.”
The Centre of Excellence (COE) Cyber Security (CYSEC), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), will implement key initiatives.
Offering relief to cyber-related R&D projects which are driven by Karnataka-based start-ups and in collaboration with Karnataka-based academic institutes, the government will either provide 50% of the grant for research or bear the cost of up to Rs 50 lakh. Another key highlight of the policy is the IT-BT Department will provide reimbursement of cost up to Rs 1 lakh towards engagement of Karnataka-based, CERT-In empanelled service providers registered with Karnataka Start-up Cell for cyber security audit.
The policy has two parts. The first will focus on building a strong cyber security ecosystem for the public, academia, industry, start-ups and the government. The second aims at strengthening the cyber security posture of the state’s IT assets.
During the meeting, industry stakeholders highlighted sector-specific intelligence for cyber domains such as diagnostics, blockchain, manufacturing and more.
Pact with Cisco
To address the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, Karnataka has signed an MoU with Cisco to train 40,000 individuals in cybersecurity skills and awareness. Of them, 50% will be women. This is to diversify the cybersecurity workforce and promote equal opportunities within the tech sector.
The Cisco skilling programme will have three parts. CyberOps Associate (CA) for graduates and final year students, providing in-depth knowledge and practical skills to become proficient in cybersecurity operations. Cybersecurity essentials will train in foundational cybersecurity knowledge, and the third Training of Trainers (ToT) that will equip college lecturers with the expertise to train students in advanced cybersecurity concepts.