Ministry of Home Affairs – Artifex.News

DoT directs telcos to block 28,200 mobile handsets, re-verify 20 lakh mobile numbers

admin — Fri, 10 May 2024 13:12:36 +0000

Image used for representation purpose only.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has directed telecom operators to block 28,200 mobile handsets and carry out immediate reverification of 20 lakh mobile connections for their alleged link with cyber crimes, according to an official statement on May 10.

DoT, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and State police have joined hands for curbing the misuse of telecom resources in cyber-crime and financial frauds and aim to dismantle networks of fraudsters and protect citizens from digital threats, it said.

“Analysis carried out by MHA and state police has revealed that 28,200 mobile handsets were misused in cybercrimes. The DoT further analysed and found that a staggering 20 lakh numbers were used with these mobile handsets.

“Subsequently, DoT issued directions to telecom service providers for pan India blocking of 28,200 mobile handsets and to carry out immediate reverification of 20 lakh mobile connections linked to these mobile handsets and disconnect failing re-verification,” the statement said.

The DoT launched Chakshu portal two months ago to handle telecom fraud-related grievances.

Since the launch of the portal, the department has blacklisted 52 entities involved in sending malicious and phishing SMSes, blocked 348 mobile handsets across the country, and flagged 10,834 suspected mobile numbers for re-verification.

Besides, DoT has blocked 1.58 lakh unique mobile device identification number IMEI due to involvement in cyber crimes and financial frauds or mobile connections taken on fake or forged documents.

Till April 30 this year, DoT disconnected 1.66 crore mobile connections, of which 30.14 lakh were disconnected based on users’ feedback and 53.78 lakh for exceeding individual limit to buy new SIM cards, as per official data.

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Budget for Census slashed, population count may not take place in first quarter

admin — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:43:54 +0000

The allocation for Census Survey and Statistics has been slashed to ₹1,277.80 crore from ₹1,546.65 crore in 2023-24, a further indication that the Census exercise, which was to be initially completed in 2021, is not planned in the first quarter of the fiscal. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Union Home Ministry has been allocated ₹2.02-lakh crore in the Interim Budget, a marginal increase of 1.4% over the Revised Estimates for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The allocation for the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS), which will enable the implementation of the three criminal laws, has been increased. The allocation for the CCTNS has been increased to ₹520 crore from ₹221 crore in 2023-24. The allocation for the I4C has been increased to ₹150 crore from ₹94 crore.

Also read: Budget 2024 updates

A sum of ₹1.32 lakh crore has been allocated for the police, which includes the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been allocated ₹37, 277.74 crore

Ladakh got ₹5,958 crore, Andaman and Nicobar Islands ₹5,866.37 crore, Chandigarh ₹5,862.62 crore, Puducherry ₹3,269 crore, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu ₹2,648.97 crore, Lakshadweep ₹1,490.10 crore and Delhi ₹1,168.01 crore.

A sum of ₹1,248.91 crore has been given to the Cabinet under which the expenditure on the Council of Ministers, Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, and hospitality and entertainment of the government come.

While the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has been allocated ₹3,195.09 crore (₹3,268.94 crore in 2023-24), the Delhi Police has been given ₹11,177.50 crore (₹11,940.33 crore in 2023-24), and the Special Protection Group (SPG) ₹506.32 crore (₹446.83 crore in 2023-24).

The Budget allocated ₹3,199.62 crore for security-related expenditure and Special Infrastructure Scheme for Left Wing Extremist Areas, ₹335 crore for Border Area Development Programme, ₹214.44 crore for safe city projects, and ₹330 crore for the Land Ports Authority of India.

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Budget for Census slashed, population count may not take place in first quarter

admin — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:59:48 +0000

The Union Home Ministry has been allocated ₹2.02-lakh crore in the Interim Budget, a marginal increase of 1.4% over the Revised Estimates for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Also read: Budget 2024 updates

A sum of ₹1.32 lakh crore has been allocated for the police, which includes the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been allocated ₹37, 277.74 crore

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Morning Digest | Fourth flight with 274 Indians flies out from Israel; India will bid to host 2036 Olympics, PM Modi confirms, and more

admin — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 02:37:32 +0000

Indian nationals evacuated from war-hit Israel arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport as part of ‘Operation Ajay’, in New Delhi on October 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Fourth flight with 274 Indian nationals flies out from Israel

A special flight carrying 274 Indian nationals wanting to leave Israel amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict left for home on Saturday, the second in a day and fourth since the launch of ‘Operation Ajay’.

The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv earlier earlier announced that two special flights will operate from Ben Gurion airport on Saturday.

Shadow from fallen Sikkim dam falls on India’s hydroelectric projects in Bhutan

The Chungthang dam of Sikkim Urja Limited’s 1,200 MW Teesta-III hydroelectric project on river Teesta gave way on October 4, contributing to the death of at least 94 people in the downstream areas of Sikkim and West Bengal. The devastation has refreshed worries over two of three India-assisted, under-construction mega hydropower projects in Bhutan — the 1,200 MW Punatsangchhu Stage-I (Puna-I) and the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu Stage-II (Puna-II). These projects, along with the 660 MW Kholongchu, are estimated to cost ₹21,637.28 crore, funded by India, benefiting States in northern and eastern India.

India will bid to host 2036 Olympics, PM Modi confirms

India aspires to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed on Saturday. The country is enthusiastic about organising the quadrennial global sports extravaganza and is fully committed to making this dream a reality, he said.

If its bid is successful, India will become only the fourth Asian country to host the Games.

ICC World Cup: IND vs PAK | Rohit Sharma and bowlers make it 8-0 for India in ODI World Cups against Pakistan

Like fireflies dancing on a surreal night, fans held aloft their cellphones, switched on the torchlights and swayed. The surreal moment at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14, summed up the state of the much-anticipated World Cup match between India and Pakistan.

Rohit Sharma’s men were on the ascendant and stayed that way right through with the skipper leading from the front. Chasing Pakistan’s 191, India scored 192 for three in 30.3 overs and registered a seven-wicket victory. The Men in Blue found their batting and bowling arms in sync, and Pakistan capitulated.

Modi government failed to mitigate problems faced by women: Sonia Gandhi

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said that instead of mitigating the problems faced by women, the past nine years had seen a sustained effort by the Modi government to turn women purely into symbols, to be counted and appreciated only in their restricted traditional roles in a patriarchal framework.

Addressing the Women’s Right Conference organised here by DMK MP K. Kanimozhi to commemorate the birth centenary of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Ms. Gandhi said that just as in every other frontier of rights, freedoms, equity, and equality, even among women, all the remarkable gains of the past 70 years had disappeared.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case | Freed convict Santhan wants to return home

Santhan alias Suthenthiraraja, one of the seven life convicts granted premature release in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has requested the Sri Lankan President to help him return to the island nation and live there with his aged mother.

MHA data shows nearly half of fresh FCRA registrations under the religious category are for Christian NGOs

Over the past nine years, of the 407 non-government organisations (NGOs) that got the Centre’s nod to receive foreign funds for religious purposes, 194 showed they ran Christian programmes, according to data available with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

However, there are several NGOs that have not listed religion as at least one of their purposes, but are perceived to be working in that space. For instance, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is registered as a social organisation in Maharashtra and a religious one in Delhi.

Skygazers watch ‘Ring of Fire’ eclipse over Western Hemisphere

Skygazers across the Americas turned their faces upwards Saturday for a rare celestial event: an annular solar eclipse. A crowd of people wearing protective eyewear gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of many across the western United States watching as the Moon passed between the Sun and Earth at its furthest point from our planet.

Manipur court issues arrest warrant against Meitei Leepun chief Pramot Singh

A court in Manipur has issued a non-bailable warrant for the arrest and production of Meitei Leepun chief Pramot Singh in a case registered against him by the Churachandpur police in June for allegedly promoting enmity between communities and making statements prejudicial to national integration.

LJP factions battle for Hajipur seat in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

The intra-family war of words over the Hajipur (reserved) Lok Sabha seat is getting shriller by the day. Just two days after Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan said that it would be easier to win if his mother Reena Paswan contested from the seat, his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras countered on Saturday, saying that if Mr. Paswan wanted to field his mother from the Hajipur seat, he too would put up someone from his family to contest the Jamui (reserved) parliamentary seat. Mr. Paswan is the MP from Jamui.

Red Fort to host India’s maiden art, architecture and design biennale

Come December, the national capital’s iconic Red Fort will house for a week the replicas of some landmark Indian buildings and structures, including the new Indian Parliament, Tamil Nadu’s Velankanni Railway Station, and Srinagar’s Shalimar Bagh as part of the country’s maiden art, architecture and design biennale.

Will intensify stir if Maratha quota is not announced by Oct 24, says activist Jarange Patil

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Saturday threatened to intensify his agitation after October 24 if the Maharashtra government fails to provide reservation to the community in jobs and education.

Addressing a massive gathering at Antarwali Sarati village in Jalna district, he said that after October 24, it would be either his “funeral procession or the Maratha community’s victory celebration”.

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Budget 2023 | Marginal hike in funds for Home Ministry, allocation for Census slashed by half

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 11:32:14 +0000

File photo of officials collecting data as part of Census in 2011.
| Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

In an indication that the census exercise — meant to be completed in 2021, but delayed because of COVID-19 — may not be conducted in 2023-24, the Union Budget allocation for the Census Survey and Statistics head has been slashed to ₹1,565 crore from the ₹3,676 crore allocated in 2022-23. The last census was held in 2011.

Overall, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been allocated ₹1.96 lakh crore in the Budget 2023-24, a 5% hike from the almost ₹1.86 lakh crore allotted to it in the current fiscal.

In her Budget speech on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that States must spend the entire fifty-year loan given to them on capital expenditure within the 2023-24 financial year. Parts of the outlay will also be linked to, or allocated for scrapping old government vehicles and housing for police personnel above or as part of police stations, she said.

Intelligence database funding up

The allocation for the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been more than doubled, growing a whopping 128% from ₹87.77 crore in 2022-23 to ₹200.53 crore in the coming year. NATGRID is one-stop destination for security and intelligence agencies to access databases related to immigration entry and exit, and the banking and telephone details of terror and crime suspects, using a “secured platform”. The Intelligence Bureau has seen an increase of 7% with an allocation of ₹3,418 crore in 2023-24.

The Official Languages division that promotes the use of Hindi language in official government work has been allocated a budget of ₹93.26 crore.

The Special Protection Group, which only provides security cover to the Prime Minister of India, has seen a 12% increase in budgetary allocation from ₹385 crore to ₹433 crore.

The Indo Tibetan Border Police Force that is deployed along the 3,488 km border with China has seen an 8% increase in its budget from ₹7,461 crore in the current fiscal to ₹8,097 crore in the next fiscal.

Managing border infra, movement

The budget for the Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration and Tracking System (IVFRT) has increased 30% from ₹175 crore to ₹229 crore. IVFRT’s core objective is to develop and implement a secure and integrated service delivery framework that facilitates legitimate travellers, while strengthening security.

Border infrastructure and management has seen its budget grow 29%, from ₹2,744 crore in 2022-23 to ₹3,545 crore in 2023-24. The provision is allocated for barbed wire fencing, construction of roads, observation posts and border outposts, installation of flood lights, induction of hi-tech surveillance along the Bangladesh and Pakistan borders, and for other such construction activities at India’s international borders

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has been allocated ₹94 crore, almost 60% more than the ₹59 crore allocated the previous year

A large component of the budget, a total of ₹2,092 crore, has been reserved for “research,” which is almost 50% higher than the ₹1,400 crore revised estimates for 2021-22.

The modernisation of the Central Armed Police Forces, newly introduced as a budget head in 2022-23, has seen its allocation fall more than 18% to ₹202 crore, down from the ₹248 crore allotted earlier.

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