Karnataka govt approves cyber security policy
Bengaluru, Aug 10: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved the cyber security policy aimed at curbing cyber crimes in the state and promoting data privacy.
It also gave administrative approval for the Centre of Excellence for Aerospace and Defence at a cost of Rs 391 crore at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) campus here, for research and studies.
''The cabinet has approved Karnataka Cyber Security Policy 2023-24. The main intention of this policy is to reduce the cyber crime rate in the state which is increasing and create awareness among people about cyber security and data privacy,'' Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.
Briefing reporters about cabinet decisions, he said, under this policy the state government, local bodies and panchayats have to implement the awareness programmes from time to time, and evaluate them.
''Also to have surveys regarding cyber security and data privacy. New softwares of the state government, online banking and technical education and training programmes in this regard will come under its ambit,'' he said, adding that the policy in the days to come will help in prevention and detection of cyber crimes, and to streamline the measures that need to be taken.
Asked whether the licensing for digital platforms come under the policy, the Minister said, it will not come as it largely deals with cyber protection.
Responding to a question, he said, ''it may also deal with fake news, though there is no specific mention in this regard.'' On the Centre of Excellence, the Minister said: ''It will be a software based learning lab system, it will be like a 3D digital lab and experience centre on Aerospace and Defence''. It was approved in 2017, the project started in 2020 and total operations are being started now. Noting that the centre of excellence is under PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model with Dassault Systemes contributing Rs 250 crore, he said the other stakeholders are: Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Bio Technology and Science & Technology through Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) and VTU.
The cabinet has also approved escalation in the cost of construction of Super Specialty Hospital coming up in the premises of Belagavi Medical College to Rs 187 crore. Earlier, the cost of the project was 140 crore.
Also administrative nod for Rs 30.74 crore was given to have vehicle tracking and panic button system, along with centralised control room, for Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation vehicles.
It was also decided to procure sunflower oil instead of palm oil for preparation of nutritious food at Anganwadis; the procurement will be made at an estimated cost of Rs 66.04 crore.
''Tenders will be called for this and for this switchover to sunflower there will be additional expenditure of Rs 9.9 crores,'' Patil said, adding that there are complaints about palm oil, and sunflower oils are easily available in the state.
It was resolved to constitute a cabinet sub committee to look into levying property taxes on illegal constructions or buildings or properties with violations, and disputed lands under Mahanagara Palikes and urban local bodies in the state.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
