The Karnataka Government has unveiled a sweeping Cyber Security Policy 2024 aimed at countering the growing threat of cybercrimes and fostering awareness, skill development, and public-private collaborations to safeguard the state’s digital infrastructure. Announced on Thursday, the policy highlights several pivotal areas: raising awareness and education, skill development, supporting industry and startups, and forming partnerships for capacity enhancement.
The initiative, which carries a total estimated cost of ₹103.87 crore over five years, will be funded through the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Science & Technology’s budget. Of this amount, ₹23.74 crore will be allocated for providing incentives and concessions.
The policy’s incentives include a stipend ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per month for up to three months for Karnataka-based undergraduate and postgraduate interns, aiming to support 600 undergraduates and 120 postgraduates. Additionally, Karnataka-based startups engaged in cybersecurity R&D projects, in partnership with local academic institutions, can receive matching grants up to 50% of the total R&D cost or ₹50 lakh. Startups registered with the Karnataka Start-up Cell can also have up to ₹1 lakh reimbursed for cybersecurity audit services from CERT-In empanelled providers.
Minister Priyank Kharge, overseeing Rural Development, Panchayat Raj, and IT & BT, introduced the policy, underscoring its dual focus. The first part aims to create a robust cybersecurity ecosystem encompassing the public, academia, industry, startups, and government. The second part is dedicated to fortifying the cybersecurity of the state’s IT assets, with the latter being internal to the state’s IT teams and departments.
The policy’s development involved collaboration between the Department of Electronics, IT, BT, and S&T, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (e-Governance), and the Home Department, with input from government and private sector stakeholders. The Indian Institute of Science, which oversees the K-tech Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security (CySecK), also contributed to the review.
Additionally, the Karnataka Government has partnered with CISCO to launch a skilling program, aiming to train 40,000 individuals in cybersecurity, with a special focus on empowering women. This partnership reflects Karnataka’s dedication to enhancing digital security and inclusivity in the tech sector.
Kharge noted that Karnataka, as a major tech hub, also faces significant challenges, including a high rate of cyber fraud. The state records approximately ₹372 crore in reported online financial fraud annually, with Bengaluru and Mandya being the top affected areas.
The state is also pioneering efforts to combat misinformation and fake news through a newly established fact-check unit. During a recent 90-day trial, the unit identified over 7.5 lakh threats, with around 500 being classified as serious.
The policy is designed to build a resilient and secure cyberspace for government, business, and citizen services. It includes creating a robust assurance framework, enhancing regulatory measures, quickly addressing security threats, protecting critical information, reducing supply chain risks, and developing human resources.
Kharge also announced a collaboration with Meta to boost cyber security awareness, with plans to train one lakh teachers and educate ten lakh students on online safety. Discussions are ongoing with WhatsApp and other social media platforms to utilize their data and analytics to enhance online safety for the youth.
