INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Government spending on increasing cyber security has seen a multi-fold boost in six yearsThere has been a massive 389 percent dive in
allocation of funds by the federal government for enhancing cyber security in between 2015-16 and 2021-22, even as a national method on the
sensitive issue remains in the works.The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has actually spent Rs 416 crore towards boosting
cyber security determines across the country during the current financial year (till June 2021), which is 389 percent more than Rs 85 crore
which it had actually invested in 2015-16 for the very same purpose.At the same time, Rs 416 crore spent till now during 2021-22 are 34 per
cent more than Rs 310 crore which was spent in 2020-21 for strengthening cyber security.The multi-fold boost in fund allotment for cyber
security measures, sources said, highlighted the federal government's focus on the strategic issue.Interestingly there was a slight dip in
funds allocation for enhancing cyber security in 2016-17, when only Rs 70 crore were set aside compared to Rs 85 crore launched in 2015-16
However in 2017-18 there was a 100 percent jump in allocation of funds when Rs 140 crore were launched
Since then, the allocation for the purpose has been in 3 figures, according to official data.Also with the national cyber security strategy
in the final stages of approval, sources included that it may be finalised soon.In reality Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in a
reply to a composed question had stated in Parliament during the recently concluded Monsoon session that the government has okayed
development of a defence cyber company to counter cyber attacks.He had also informed that all 3 defence services have actually established
their respective cyber emergency action groups to counter digital risks.
