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The Hindu
Friday, Apr 12, 2002

Multi-purpose identity cards soon: Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL 11 . The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, said here 
today that the Centre would soon initiate steps to revive the 
proposal to issue multi-purpose national identity cards to all 
citizens, which was earlier derailed following reservations expressed 
by some States.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a two-day workshop on 
`infant mortality' organised by the Registrar General of India (which 
comes under the Home Ministry) in collaboration with the Ministry of 
Health and Family Welfare, he said that he would soon hold 
consultations with political parties and States to see that the 
important proposal came through. Not much opposition was expected 
this time considering that there have been great developments in the 
IT sector. The earlier move had fallen through after some States 
expressed reservations on the ground that it was too gigantic a task 
to issue such a card to each and every citizen.

Mr. Advani said that to begin with a legislation would be required to 
make the cards mandatory and, consequently, the immediate focus would 
be on enacting it. He, however, declined to set any timeframe for the 
project.

Mr. Advani confirmed that the recent events in Gujarat would come up 
for discussions at the meeting of the BJP national executive 
beginning at Goa on Friday. "Naturally, the issue would come up," he 
said, replying to a query. He, however, declined to comment further 
stating that the statements made by him on the subject had been 
"interpreted in varying ways''.

He also refused to comment on the statement by the LTTE chief, V. 
Prabakaran, during his press conference in Sri Lanka on Wednesday 
that India had a crucial role to play in solving the ethnic conflict 
in the Island nation.

At the function, he rued that India continued to be a developing 
nation even though it had all the potentials to be a part of the 
comity of developed countries and specifically asked the various 
stakeholders in the health sector to take a pledge to significantly 
reduce the infant mortality rate, which had remained stagnant at 
about 70 per 1,000 for the past several years, after having recorded 
steep declines earlier.

Mr. Adv ani asked the participants of the conference to focus on 
proper collection of data, as correct statistics was required to 
ensure right planning.

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The Telegraph
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030108/asp/frontpage/story_1553948.asp

States agree to identity cards
- Drive to flush out illegal immigrants

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi, Jan. 7: Swivelling the spotlight back on foreigners
overstaying in India, the Centre today obtained concurrence from
states on issuing citizens? identity cards and announced the launch
of a three-month drive from April to flush out illegal immigrants.

The multi-purpose identity cards will be issued on the basis of a
proposed national citizens? register.

A pilot project for the identity cards will be launched in specific
areas in 13 states, including Bengal, Assam and Tripura, which have
a sizeable number of immigrants from Bangladesh. If the finance
ministry releases Rs 14 crore needed for the preliminary round
covering 28.5 lakh people, the identity card project will get off
the ground on April 1.

The consensus on the identity cards emerged at a national conference
of chief secretaries and directors-general of police, where deputy
Prime Minister L.K. Advani launched an offensive against foreigners
overstaying in India.

?There is no reason why our states should be soft on them. Immediate
steps should be taken to identify them, locate them and throw them
out,? Advani said.

The deputy Prime Minister, who is also in charge of internal
security as Union home minister, voiced concern ?over 11,500
Pakistanis and 1.5 crore Bangladeshis illegally staying in India?
and directed state governments to launch a special drive to ?detect
and deport them as they posed a serious threat to national
security?.

The Centre wants the special drive to begin in April and continue
till June, but sources said states like Bengal, which had earlier
expressed reservations against such operations, have not yet agreed
to the proposal.

A similar drive a few years ago in Maharashtra targeting illegal
immigrants from Bangladesh had stirred a controversy. Several
political parties and human rights organisations had then alleged
that the flushout was being misused to harass the minority
community.

But home secretary N. Gopalaswami today sought to allay such
apprehensions, saying nodal officers would be appointed to monitor
the special drive.

Estimates put the number of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India
at 20 million, out of which over 10 million are in Assam and Bengal
alone.

The Centre has also promised to provide Rs 45 crore in three years
to each district in nine states, including Jharkhand, affected by
Left-wing extremism.

Advani, who had promised funds to fight Naxalites when he visited
Jharkhand recently, said the Centre had decided to adopt a
multi-pronged strategy to deal with the menace.

The conference also revived a proposal to set up a unit called the
Federal Law Enforcement Agency (FLEA) but several states opposed it,
fearing that it would encroach on their jurisdiction. The proposal
was discussed last year also by the same conference but did not make
any headway.

Some states contended that the CBI was already doing the job and,
hence, another agency will only duplicate the work. The home
secretary declined to name the dissenting states.


_______


b.)

The Times Of India
FEBRUARY 12, 2003

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=37276298

Govt to beat crime with technology
SIDDHARTH SRIVASTAVA

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2003 06:31:46 PM ]

NEW DELHI: The Indian government wants to use technology to crack 
down on organised crime. In an attempt to create a pan-Indian 
network, as in the USA, police stations across the country are going 
to be inter-connected.

Police posts that do not have the basic computer infrastructure will 
be provided the same with the aim to keep a track on organised crime, 
criminals and possible terror attacks.

The move comes as part of a massive modernisation exercise, estimated 
at over Rs 20,000  crore, co-ordinated by the union government to 
bolster security in the country.

The inter-connect software called V-Cop is already in place and a 
pilot project involving 10,000 police stations have been identified 
in north India which will be networked.

There are over 25,000 police stations in the country.

The software is being indigenously developed by Indian enterprise 
software and database solution provider, CMC.

The project was put on a fast track post the attack on the Akshardham 
temple in Gujarat and the arrest of Abu Salem, when it was found that 
the gangster had procured passports from Hyderabad and Mumbai, with 
the police unable to compare information available.

Further, some of the success in staving off any further terror 
attacks in the USA has been attributed to a vast network of 
computers, that can throw up updated criminal records at the click of 
a mouse.Â

The government has roped in private sector players to provide the 
required technology inputs. Global database major Oracle Corporation 
has already installed a similar software in Andhra Pradesh.

Oracle Corporation and Hewlett Packard have joined hands to set up a 
centre of excellence in e-governance in Gurgaon to tap the growing 
opportunities in the computerisation of the government sector.

"The potential areas identified include national security, which is 
crucial for countries like India," says Derek Williams Oracle 
Corporation, executive vice-president.

The Centre will be supported by CMC and PriceWaterhouse Coopers.

The union home ministry that works under Deputy Prime Minister L K 
Advani has been at the forefront of modernisation of police and 
paramilitary forces across the country.

Among the other steps being undertaken is re-training personnel 
through firearms-training simulators, with emphasis on tackling 
strikes on places of worship, schools and hospitals.

The government is in the process of implementing the issuing of 
Multi-purpose National Identity Cards (MNIC) to all citizens. Huge 
funds have been released for the upgradation of the BSF. Another move 
to increase the pay scales of the National Security Guards or the 
black cats have been stymied by the finance ministry.

Getting to the bottom of cellphone interactions, most commonly used 
by terrorists, is another aspect receiving a lot of attention.


_____


c.)


Wired News
http://www.wired.com/news/privacy/0,1848,56666,00.html

India's Short Message: We C U
By Ashutosh Sinha

02:00 AM Dec. 17, 2002 PT
NEW DELHI, India -- The government here already tracks e-mail and 
wireless phone calls. Now it wants to tap the text messages that get 
zapped back and forth on the country's cellular network.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, which frames policies regarding 
security issues, wants wireless service providers to install 
equipment that makes it possible to tap text messages sent via short 
message service, or SMS. The Ministry of Communications is pressuring 
companies to comply.

Surveillance has increased with the upsurge in terrorist activities, 
many of which appear to be organized by the Islamic terror network. 
Terrorists attacked the Indian Parliament on Dec. 13, 2001, and 
stormed a temple in the western state of Gujarat two months ago, 
killing over 25 people.
That may be the reason industry group representatives say providers 
will go along -- despite the huge costs associated with installing 
surveillance equipment.
"The government has been seeking information from the industry 
regarding this (tapping of SMS)," said T.V. Ramachandran of the 
Cellular Operators Association of India. "We will cooperate with the 
government on the issue."
According to the Ministry of Communications, India's 9 million 
cellular subscribers exchange over 25 million text messages a day. 
Providers charge customers between 3 and 6 cents for each text 
message they send, but monitoring messages does not generate any 
money.
It costs wireless providers $100,000 to $200,000 to add surveillance 
capability to a 500,000-line network, according to Manji Matharu of 
Sotas, a telecom software company. Ramachandran added that all 
wireless companies' networks are not geared to allow SMS tapping. For 
these companies, the cost of installation of the equipment could be 
higher.
This isn't the first time the government has pushed businesses to 
help it snoop on its citizens.
Internet service providers here are required to monitor e-mail as 
part of their licensing conditions. Also, cellular companies have 
installed equipment that allows simultaneous tapping of up to 180 
lines from all service providers in each of the country's 21 telecom 
circles.
That helps the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Economic 
Intelligence Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, 
Intelligence Bureau, Enforcement Directorate and other government 
agencies track potentially ominous electronic communications. And 
according to a government source, India's Intelligence Bureau has 
also requested that all faxes be monitored. That request has not yet 
been met.
"All communication in any form on the telephone should be monitored," 
said an official at the Ministry of Communications who spoke on 
condition of anonymity. When mobile multimedia services launch in 
India, they will also be tracked, he said.
Under the SMS monitoring policy, wireless service providers will be 
asked to maintain records of all the messages exchanged by 
subscribers. It is not clear yet how long the data will be archived.
Specialized software would scan a range of variables to profile SMS 
users. For example, it might pick up on a subscriber who regularly 
sends text messages to people in countries suspected of abetting 
terrorists. The software alerts the service provider, which informs 
the security agencies. The software might also single out someone who 
sends one message in a week or two to such countries, but the 
intelligence agencies will be less interested in that person.
Guidelines from India's Supreme Court make it mandatory for security 
agencies to seek clearance from the Home Ministry before tapping any 
individual's communication.
"There are instances of violation," said Pavan Duggal, a lawyer who 
specializes in cyberlaw. "It will require the courts to decide the 
balance between the security of the state and the privacy of 
citizens."

0 0 0

http://vigilant.tv/article/2578

Update on Indian SMS wiretapping
09:38 AM +1000, Dec 18 2002

An update on Indian government efforts to expand their already broad 
wiretapping capabilities to include SMS cellphone text messaging. 
Indian authorities have been accused several times of shutting down 
the SMS network in an effort to block dissident communications. The 
current push is for wireless phone providers to record and retain all 
SMS messages for an undisclosed period of time.


The Ministry of Home Affairs, which frames policies regarding 
security issues, wants wireless service providers to install 
equipment that makes it possible to tap text messages sent via short 
message service, or SMS. The Ministry of Communications is pressuring 
companies to comply.

[...]

"The government has been seeking information from the industry 
regarding this (tapping of SMS)," said T.V. Ramachandran of the 
Cellular Operators Association of India. "We will cooperate with the 
government on the issue."

[...]

This isn't the first time the government has pushed businesses to 
help it snoop on its citizens.

Internet service providers here are required to monitor e-mail as 
part of their licensing conditions. Also, cellular companies have 
installed equipment that allows simultaneous tapping of up to 180 
lines from all service providers in each of the country's 21 telecom 
circles.

[...]

"All communication in any form on the telephone should be monitored," 
said an official at the Ministry of Communications who spoke on 
condition of anonymity. When mobile multimedia services launch in 
India, they will also be tracked, he said.

[...]

Under the SMS monitoring policy, wireless service providers will be 
asked to maintain records of all the messages exchanged by 
subscribers. It is not clear yet how long the data will be archived.

Specialized software would scan a range of variables to profile SMS 
users. For example, it might pick up on a subscriber who regularly 
sends text messages to people in countries suspected of abetting 
terrorists. The software alerts the service provider, which informs 
the security agencies. The software might also single out someone who 
sends one message in a week or two to such countries, but the 
intelligence agencies will be less interested in that person.

- Wired, India's Short Message: We C U.

_____


d.)

http://www.securityvoice.co.uk/art.php?art=250&cat=calendar
Security Voice
12th February 2003

Diary date: 12 Feb 2003

Security International 2003 - India

Services International in association with Association of Security 
Professional (ASP) is organising the Security International 2003 
Exhibition and Conference to be held at Hotel Leela, Mumbai, India 
during 12-14 February 2003.

Security International 2003 presents an ideal platform for decision 
makers from various vertical industries to view advanced and 
sophisticated products of Security & safety equipment along with the 
products ranging from traditional solutions such as safes, locks, 
manned security to hi-tech integrated systems and access control 
devices.

Exhibition Includes:

*	Security International 2003
International Exhibition on Security Technology.
*	iSecurity International 2003
International Exhibition on Information Technology Security.
*	Security Solutions India 2003
International Conference of Security Solutions, trends & Developments.

Exhibitor's Profile:

Exhibition will provide a glimpse of the latest development in the 
technology & innovation in the field of Security equipment & 
appliances. Exhibitors from the following industries from all over 
the world will come as participants:- Access Control, Alarm Systems & 
services, Arms & weapons, Biometrics, CCTV, Central Station 
Monitoring, Data protection, Detection, Door Hardware, Electrical 
Components, Electrician Professional tools, Electronic Clocks, 
Electronic article surveillance, Energy management, Financial 
Services, Fibre Optics, General Electronic Security, Hardware 
protection, Home Security Systems, Identification Systems, 
Information Security, Industrial Security, Intrusion detection, 
Lighting Control, Locking Mechanisms, Outdoor perimeter protection, 
Personal Security, Portable equipment, Public & private security, 
Publications, Residential, commercial,corporate & institutional 
network security systems & services, Security Forces management, 
Transportation, Uniforms, VIP protection, Wire & cable optics and 
Wireless Data Services.

The Exhibition will be a meeting point for senior public officials 
responsible for security & safety, corporate security managers, 
importers, agents & distributors, contractors & installers, 
architects & architectural engineers, technical/System Integrators, 
owners and senior & General Management.

India's recently liberalized import export policy, simplified 
procedure, and new openings for foreign investments offers excellent 
potential for exporting & importing sophisticated security and safety 
equipment, appliances, transfer of know-how and setting up of joint 
ventures in the field of security & safety.

Links
E-mail: sbhatiani at servintonline.com
URL: http://www.servintonline.com
Tom Reeve, Sep 26, 15:57