Par panel bats for setting up cybercrime nodal agency

A parliamentary panel today asserted that the IT Ministry should set up a cybercrime nodal agency or helpline that would assist and guide victims in dealing with such incidents.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, in its report, noted that there is no separate mechanism for dealing with cases of cybercrime in India.
"Keeping in view the fact that the victim or the field functionaries in Law Enforcement Agency (LEAs) may not have the kind of knowledge/resources/expertise to identify or deal with specialised cases of cybercrime, the Committee had emphasised on setting up of a nodal agency/helpline for victims of cyber crime," it said.

The Electronics and IT Ministry (MeitY) had noted that the Home Affairs Ministry is setting up a centralised portal for cybercrime against women and children.
For cyber security incidents like phishing, hacking, scanning, spoofing and malware attacks, CERT-In can be approached, it had said.
The Committee, however, emphasised that the Ministry has sufficient resources and expertise in dealing with cybercrime.
Setting-up such an agency could also help in dissemination of information to the victims about the appropriate agency to approach and also guide them on the next course of action, the committee said reiterating its earlier recommendation.