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Minister of Communications, Railway, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, alongside Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan, unveiled two significant initiatives by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday aimed at enhancing cybersecurity and empowering citizens to combat fraud in the digital realm. These initiatives include the "Digital Intelligence Platform" (DIP) and the "Chakshu" facility on the Sanchar Saathi portal.
Here is a closer look at the latest additions to the Sanchar Sathi portal.
Online frauds and cybercrime in India
While introducing DIP and Chakshu, Vaishnaw stated that the ministry was working closely with financial institutes, including the Reserve Bank, to prevent online financial crimes. Moreover, efforts are being undertaken to recover stolen money and prevent the freezing of accounts where money has been fraudulently transferred.
The Ministry of Communications stated that under initiatives of the DoT, around 5.9 million fraudulent connections have been disconnected; 2.3 million mobile connections disconnected based on user feedback; 150,000 handsets have been blocked for involvement in cyber crimes; and more than Rs 1,000 crore belonging to Indian citizens saved.
What is the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP)?
The Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) is an initiative developed by the Department of Telecommunications to serve as a secure and integrated platform for real-time intelligence sharing, information exchange, and coordination among various stakeholders. These stakeholders include Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), law enforcement agencies (LEAs), banks and financial institutions (FIs), social media platforms, and identity document issuing authorities. The platform also houses information regarding cases detected as misuse of telecom resources. Additionally, the DIP functions as a backend repository for citizen-initiated requests on the Sanchar Saathi portal for appropriate action by stakeholders.
How does the DIP work?
Accessible exclusively to stakeholders over secure connectivity, the DIP shares relevant information based on their respective roles. However, it is important to note that the platform is not accessible to citizens directly.
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What is the Chakshu facility?
Chakshu is a newly introduced feature on the Sanchar Saathi portal that encourages citizens to proactively report suspected fraudulent communications received via call, SMS, or WhatsApp.
These fraudulent activities may include attempts to deceive individuals through schemes such as KYC expiry or update requests for bank accounts, payment wallets, SIM cards, gas connections, electricity connections, sextortion, impersonation as government officials or relatives for financial gain, or false claims of disconnection of mobile numbers by the Department of Telecommunications.
These fraudulent activities may include attempts to deceive individuals through schemes such as KYC expiry or update requests for bank accounts, payment wallets, SIM cards, gas connections, electricity connections, sextortion, impersonation as government officials or relatives for financial gain, or false claims of disconnection of mobile numbers by the Department of Telecommunications.
Where can Chakshu be accessed?
Chakshu can be accessed through the government's Sanchar Saathi web portal: https://sancharsaathi.gov.in
What are the existing facilities available on the Sanchar Saathi portal?
The Sanchar Saathi portal offers several citizen-centric facilities, including:
- Checking mobile connections issued in their name and report connections for disconnection if unnecessary or unauthorised.
- Reporting stolen or lost mobile handsets for blocking and tracing.
- Verifying the authenticity of mobile handsets before purchasing new or used devices.
- Reporting incoming international calls received with Indian telephone numbers as caller identification.
- Accessing details of licensed wireline Internet Service Providers.
With the introduction of the Digital Intelligence Platform and the Chakshu facility on the Sanchar Saathi portal, the Department of Telecommunications is taking proactive steps to safeguard citizens against cyber threats and fraudulent activities in the digital space.
