NEW DLEHI: Union home minister
Rajnath Singh on Monday expressed concern over the misuse of social media for illegal activities including terrorism and
child pornography and stressed on the need to strengthen the institutional framework for preventing and tackling such crimes.
At a review meeting here, Singh pushed for further expediting security clearances for FDI in sensitive sectors by making use of online systems, in coordination with the administrative ministries, for processing proposals. The Modi government has already cut the clearance time to 53 days from 120 days in 2014. He said the online FDI clearance system would ensure higher efficiency and better monitoring.
While expressing concern over rising misuse of internet for circulating child pornography and other obscene material, the home minister directed to expedite the launch of online cyber-crime reporting portal.
The meeting, which was attended by minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir and senior home ministry officials, reflected on the threat from 'keypad jihadis' who use social media applications like
WhatsApp to communication with one another and with bosses based in Pakistan. The home ministry has asked ministry of electronics and information technology to examine blocking WhatsApp calls in insurgency theatres like J&K.
Singh, while pressing for greater vigilance against cyber threats, sought regular auditing of IT infrastructure of all organisations falling under the home ministry's purview. He called for upgradation and updation of National Information Security Policy and Guidelines for the government sector. Expressing concern over financial frauds played by phone call fraudsters, he stressed on increasing public awareness about such crimes and strengthening institutional framework for checking such frauds.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh