NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday directed modernisation of the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies with it to strengthen the country’s cyber crime response system. He issued the directions at a review meeting in the national capital.
Describing the 1930 helpline as a crucial platform for citizens to report cyber crimes conveniently, Shah stressed that every complainant must receive prompt support. He underscored that no complaint should remain unattended or pending and directed officials to further improve efficiency.
The home minister instructed officials that the helpline be upgraded through the adoption of advanced technologies, including AI, to facilitate faster complaint registration, intelligent call routing and more effective grievance management. He said the revamped system should significantly enhance service delivery and response capabilities for citizens affected by cyber crimes.
Shah said that the Centre was committed of building a secure, technology-driven and citizen-centric cyber security framework. He told officials that the 1930 call centres, operating across states and Union territories, be strengthened through improved technological and operational upgrades.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs will provide support for hardware and technology enhancements for the helpline framework, while the states and UTs will be asked to ensure adequate staffing at call centres.
Shah asked officials to leverage interactive software systems, especially for voice response, at the call centres. This feature can help ensure easy transfer of calls to the relevant authorities without troubling the complainant to locate them, the ministry said.
The minister also ordered the creation of a national call centre within the 1930 framework that will address complaints that remain unanswered at the state level.
The meeting also reviewed the performance of the Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS), a key initiative of the Union home ministry aimed at tackling cyber financial fraud. The platform enables prompt blocking of fraudulent financial transactions through the banking network, which increases the chances of securing and restoring funds to victims.
Shah noted that the Union home ministry had issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) in January to accelerate the resolution of cyber financial fraud cases. The SOP provides a coordinated framework involving banks, financial institutions, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to facilitate the early return of blocked funds to victims. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has directed all high courts to ensure the implementation of the SOP.
During the review, the home minister also called for regular monitoring of the Money Restoration Module and the Grievance Redressal Module developed under the CFCFRMS. He said that state governments should track the implementation of these modules to ensure speedy complaint resolution.
Shah further directed that swift action be taken in cases involving unnecessarily frozen bank accounts and stressed the need to fix accountability in such instances. According to officials, nearly one lakh citizens have so far benefited from the money restoration and grievance redressal mechanisms.
Officials informed the meeting that around 94 lakh bank accounts, from which funds could potentially be restored, have been uploaded under the money restoration and grievance redressal framework.
