The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	India following in America’s footsteps on cyber security Man Mohan Our Roving Editor New Delhi, October 24 Cyber security roadmap that India spread out on October 15 has come with a nudge from America which has been pursing a global interlinked strategic alliance, knowledgeable South Block sources disclosed. For the USA, it promises huge business opportunities. Interestingly, India’s ‘Mission Cyber Security’ was unveiled by National Security Council Secretariat less than a month after a statement of the FBI Director, Robert S Mueller, on ‘Homeland Threats’ (including cyber security) was presented before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in Washington on September 19. Cyber security is generally referred to as the fifth realm of security after land, sea, air, and space. Cyberspace is the sphere along with space where, it is believed, the next generation warfare is likely to take place. Few Indian firms have experience in dealing with cyber security. The US has major powerhouses like Lincoln Labs at MIT, Stanford University, the CIA funded venture arm In-Q-Tel, a host of military labs, think tanks and private companies like Raytheon devoted to cyber security and warfare. India will have no option but to lean on such organisations to get the requisite expertise. India’s vast army of computer experts is, however, its big asset. J Satyanarayana, secretary in the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, has said that five lakh professionals are required to work for cyber security. Major powers are worried about cyber terrorism and cyber warfare. Britain has started recruiting teenage apprentice spies and code-breakers without university degrees to deepen the talent pool of its intelligence services for this purpose. There are striking similarities between Indian and American strategy to deal with emerging cyber security threats. Both the nations have declared that while they will continue to fight global terrorism, cyber security may well become the highest priority in the years to come. The ‘common thread’ between the two nations’ cyber security plans is their declaration that they would go for public-private partnership to meet the challenge and develop technology. “It is crystal clear that India has taken a chapter out of the US cyber security policy playbook and is looking at it as a template to craft a suitable policy,” said Manish Gupta, Director of Cogence, a specialised consultancy that guides high-tech security companies worldwide. India has not yet experienced a wide-scale cyber-attack that debilitates its infrastructure. However, there have been incidents related to stealing of information from the PMO, defence networks, Indian consulates and major private companies. The only case that reflected the lurking dangers in the cyber space was the swiftness with which postings on social media platforms recently triggered mass migration of the North-Eastern people from various south cities and threatened to disrupt the communal harmony. According to the FBI chief, besides global terrorist threats, America is increasingly facing complex threats to cyber security. Nation-state actors, sophisticated organised crime groups and hackers-for-hire are stealing trade secrets and valuable research from America’s companies, universities and government agencies. Cyber threats also pose a significant risk to America’s critical infrastructure. They are also making use of social media. “Foreign cyber spies,” according to Mueller, “have become increasingly adept at exploiting weaknesses in computer networks. Once inside, they can exfiltrate government and military secrets as well as valuable intellectual property - information that can improve the competitive advantage of state-owned companies. Unlike state-sponsored intruders, hackers-for-profit do not seek information for political power; rather they seek information for sale to the highest bidder. These once-isolated hackers have joined forces to create criminal syndicates.” India and the USA have been working together for several years for evolving a cyber security network. For this, New Delhi and Washington signed a Memorandum of Understanding on January 19, 2012.
	Infrastructure boost to aid Food Bill Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 24 Ahead of its next big ticket social programme - the Food Security Bill - which it plans to implement before the 2014 general elections, the UPA government is busy sprucing up logistics and infrastructure to aid its implementation. The Food Ministry is looking at complete coverage for precious foodgrain produced in the country and end-to-end computerisation of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) for the poor in the next two years. According to FCI chairman Amar Singh, country’s storage capacity along with that being proposed under the PEG Scheme (construction of godown through private entrepreneurs) will increase to 72 million tonnes (MT) with the construction of godowns in 19 states. At present, godowns contribute 52.85 MT of covered storage space while 18.61 MT is under scientific cover and plinth (CAP) space. This includes storage space with the FCI and state agencies. About 18.11 MT of covered storage capacity has been approved for 19 states. That apart, the Food Ministry has also approved construction of modern silos with a total capacity of 2 MT (20 lakh tonnes) in 10 states, including Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP, West Bengal and Gujarat. Singh says 50,000-tonne modern capacity has been approved at Bhattu, Jind, Karnal, Palwal, Rohtak, Sonepat in Haryana and Barnala, Chheharetta, Patiala, Jalalabad, Kilaraipur, Sangrur, Dhuri and Batala in Punjab. Tenders for these silos would be floated by January-February next. The work on constructing the first silo will start by 2014. “The silos will be coming with a railway siding,” he said. India produced an all-time high foodgrain production of 257.44 MT in the 2011-12 crop year (July-June) as compared to 244.78 million tonnes in the 2010-11 crop year. As on October 1, about 51.79 MT of foodgrains are in the Central pool against the buffer norms of 21.2 MT for the same period. The foodgrain storage clocked a record 82.32 MT in June this year but a large quantity (70.82 lakh tonnes) had to be stored on vulnerable plinths. Meanwhile, the government plans to complete end-to-end computerisation of the PDS to make its reach more effective. According to officials, shares of Centre and the state governments in the cost are estimated at Rs 489.37 crore and Rs 394.70 crore, respectively. The pattern of cost sharing between Centre and States would be on 90:10 for the North-Eastern states, whereas for other states and UTs the cost will be shared equally. The plan envisages digitisation of rations cards and beneficiaries and other databases, computerisation of supply-chain management, setting up of transparency portal and grievance redressal mechanisms.
	Women commandos yet to be in direct combat Shaurya Karanbir Gurung/TNS New Delhi, October 24 The concept of women commandos has come to India, but they are yet to be deployed in direct combat operations, as it is still considered a male domain. The Army does not deploy women in combat operations involving "physical contact with the enemy". At present, women have been commissioned only in supporting arms and logistics branch of the force. Sources maintain it will take some more time before they are inducted into combat arms like the infantry and the armoured corps. The CRPF, the country's largest central armed police force, has specialised units called the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA). The battalions, which are deployed in Naxal-dominated areas, are yet to induct women personnel. In Jammu and Kashmir, women constables of three "mahila" battalions take part in law and order operations only. "They have also been deployed to guard vital government installations and airports," adds a CRPF officer. The country's elite counter-terror agency, the National Security Guard (NSG), has 25 women commandos who are being trained in VIP security, anti-hijacking and anti-terror operations. Their deployment is yet to be decided. Sources in the NSG say they are being tested to see "if they can match the standards of their male counterparts". "Women will be trained in conditions simulating different types of operations. We will analyse if they can manage the situation," said an NSG official. NSG Director-General Subhash Joshi recently said, "We are still in the process of validating their capabilities." NSG officers admit that women politicians for whose protection these commandos are being trained are reluctant to accept them. BSP chief Mayawati and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa have already made their preferences clear. Ironically, Tamil Nadu was the first state in India to have an all-women police commando battalion that was raised in 2003 under orders from CM Jayalalithaa. In 2011, the Delhi Police trained 461 women constables at its Jharoda Kalan police training college. The aim was to provide security to female dignitaries and act as a catalyst to reduce crime against women. Of these, 25 women volunteered for an advanced commando course at the Neemuch police training academy in Madhya Pradesh. Their instructor Inspector OP Sharma, says, "Three of them are now teaching self-defence techniques to girl students of Delhi University. The rest are deployed in security duties at the residences of the Prime Minister and the President." This year, 48 more Delhi Police women personnel, were imparted basic commando training. They are now part of the VIP security unit. Unlike their male counterparts, none of them has been deployed in the special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams that deal in counter-terror operations in Delhi. India not an exception The situation is not much different even in other countries across the world. The Royal Marine Commandos of the United Kingdom is an all-male unit. The government has prohibited employment of women commandos for front line duties. Although women are allowed to attend and pass the training course, they are not inducted into the marines. In Australia also, women are not permitted to serve in the special forces. In the US, the Pentagon policy bans women from serving as infantry personnel, special operation commandos and in other combat roles that have direct contact with the enemy. Libya's late dictator, Col Muammar Gaddafi, however, always had female bodyguards around him, who were called Amazonian Guards or the Revolutionary Nuns. China has a cadre of women commandos, who are presently trained for internal security duties. Pakistan also has women commandos in the police but they are meant to just supplement the force. WAITING IN THE WINGS Army does not deploy women in combat operations involving "physical contact with the enemy COBRA battalions of the CRPF, which are deployed in Naxal-dominated areas, are yet to induct women personnel 25 women commandos of the NSG are still being tested to see "if they can match the standards of their male counterparts"
	Saving the hornbill: Coast Guard looks for alternative site for radars in Andaman New Delhi, October 24 The Coast Guard has started looking for an alternative site to deploy its coastal radars in Andaman and Nicobar Islands after the Environment Ministry red-flagged its plan to put them up at Narcondam to save rare bird “hornbill”. The agency was planning to set up radars as part of a coastal security network to keep an eye on the activities along the coastline there. The search for an alternative place has already begun and the regional Coast Guard officials are working towards finding a strategic site for the purpose, Defence officials say. The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had rejected the Defence Ministry proposal to set up a radar site and a power plant on the Narcondam island. The MoEF said the government had the option to set up offshore sites to install such radars but noted “there is no such option available for hornbill whose survival may get seriously threatened if establishment of proposed radar is allowed on the Narcondam island”. It had also stated that there were only around 350 of this rare species of birds. As part of the coastal security network, the Coast Guard is installing 46 radars. — PTI
	CVC to head global anti-graft task force New Delhi, October 24 Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar will head a 10-member global task force to plan a knowledge management system for promoting global cooperation in anti-corruption measures and keep a check on black money. “The Central Vigilance Commission has been chosen to lead the global task force and prepare a knowledge management system. It will help in promoting international cooperation in anti-corruption measures,” Kumar said. It would also help in effectively dealing with transnational crimes and checking illegal proceedings, he said. The knowledge management system would also facilitate exchange of information about anti-corruption organisations, systems, procedures, practices and experiences among anti- corruption authorities and other stakeholders across the world, he added. The decision to assign the role of heading the task force to the probity watchdog was taken recently by the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), an independent, non-political anti-corruption organisation of more than 300 members, including India. A preliminary meeting of the task force was held on October 4 at Kuala Lumpur to chalk out future course of action. The project involves development of a centralised user friendly information handling system to gather data about anti-corruption activities around the world and process them into information useful to all stakeholders. The CVC would provide the infrastructure, facilities and secretariat services to the task force which would function from the commission’s office. “A fully functional knowledge management facility is expected to be set up within a year,” Kumar said. — PTI THE BRIEF The panel will prepare a knowledge management system to help in promoting international cooperation in anti-corruption measures It will also facilitate exchange of information among stakeholders across the world
	2.1 lakh vacancies in Railways New Delhi, October 24 The Railways are yet to fill 2.1 lakh vacant posts, including 90,000 safety-related vacancies, crucial for train operations. A total of 67 accidents have occurred in the current fiscal, with six occurred in October itself. The safety-related posts include loco running staff, driver, station master, guard, technology supervisor, control and yard staff, signal inspector and maintenance employees. Besides safety, there are also large number of vacancies in workshops, commercial section, para-medical and office staff in Railways which needs to be filled up. The Railways, however, maintain that an aggressive recruitment drive is underway to fill up vacant posts. “Six months ago there were 2.6 lakh vacant posts and now this number has come down to 2.1 lakh, as we have undertaken a massive recruitment drive," a senior Railway official said, adding that "the number will further go down to 1.5 lakh in the next six months." "The Railways maintain sufficient cushion in safety posts like drivers. The recruitment is an ongoing process and due to a well defined procedure and constant retirements, there will always remain some unfilled vacancies," he added. — PTI plugging the gap Of the vacant posts, 90,000 are safety-related vacancies, crucial for train operation These include loco running staff, driver, station master, guard, technology supervisor, control and yard staff, signal inspector and maintenance employees
	Defence panel in Parliament sets ambitious agenda KV Prasad/TNS New Delhi, October 24 With the country defence budget going up each year and expected to rise in the coming years, functioning of the key ministry and important issues related to the armed forces will come under parliamentary oversight during the next one year. The recently re-constituted Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence headed by Satpal Maharaj has identified issues like swifter procurements, modernisation of industries, functioning of cantonments and stations, cyber security, modernisation of military airfields, service matters like the contentious recruitment and empowerment of women and one rank-one pension, among others, for review. Speedy defence procurement, especially armaments, is one of the major challenges being faced by the armed forces. While the country on an average spends around $10 billion (Rs 53,000 crore) each year to modernise its forces, there have been instances when some procurement was stalled either due to irregularities being detected in the procedure or delayed due to alterations in the Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs). On many occasions, Defence Minister AK Antony asked the Service chiefs to avoid changing the SQRs frequently that lead to delays. On its part, the Services argue that with rapid changes in technology, armed forces will be better served with the latest. The committee will look at the issue also in the context of the offsets under the Defence Procurement Procedure that mandates 30 per cent of value of orders be sourced within the country. The government made a series of amendments to expand areas that qualify towards offset obligations for foreign manufacturers who are awarded the contracts. The committee would also review cyber security mechanism with regard to strategic defence data maintained in computers and servers. The issue assumes significance in the wake of incidents of hacking by hostile foreign servers, including one in the Tri-services command in Andaman and Nicobar Islands two years ago. Issues for review The committee on defence has identified issues like swifter procurements, modernisation of industries, functioning of cantonments and stations, cyber security, modernisation of military airfields, service matters like the contentious recruitment and empowerment of women and one rank-one pension, among others, for review
	Cabinet reshuffle likely on Sunday Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 24 The long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place on Sunday. While ministerial changes have been on the cards for some time now, the exercise has been delayed for one reason or the other. The rejig had acquired urgency following the exit of six Trinamool Congress ministers, Pranab Mukherjee’s move to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Virbhadra Singh’s resignation and Vilasrao Deshmukh’s death. Consequently, several ministers are holding additional portfolios. There is a question mark over AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s entry into the government though it is being indicated that he will prefer to focus on strengthening the party base. However, several young faces are expected to be inducted and a number of junior ministers could be promoted to give the Cabinet a youthful look. Meenakshi Natarajan and Manicka Tagore, known to be close to Rahul Gandhi, are said to be probable contenders, while junior minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sachin Pilot and Jitin Prasad may be elevated. Ministers Srikant Jena and Harish Rawat have also been awaiting a promotion. Since the Trinamool Congress left the ruling combine, Congress leaders from West Bengal are slated to get representation in the new setup. Some names doing the rounds include Deepa Dashmunshi and West Bengal Congress president Pradeep Bhattacharya. A leader from Maharashtra, most likely Vilas Muthemwar, may be accommodated to replace Deshmukh. From the allies, NCP leader Tariq Anwar will get a ministerial berth, while party’s junior minister Agatha Sangma is said to be on her way out. DMK chief M Karunanidhi has said they are not keen on reclaiming the telecom and textiles ministries vacated by A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran after corruption charges surfaced against them. Fresh Blood Several young faces may be inducted and junior ministers promoted Congress leaders from West Bengal slated to get berth Question mark over Rahul Gandhi’s entry into government
	Parliament panel on defence sets ambitious agenda KV Prasad/TNS New Delhi, October 24 With the country’s defence budget going up each year and expected to rise in the coming years, the functioning of the key ministry and important issues related to the armed forces will come under parliamentary oversight in the next one year. The recently re-constituted Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence headed by Satpal Maharaj has identified issues like swifter procurements, modernisation of industries, functioning of cantonments and stations, cyber security, modernisation of military airfields, service matters like the contentious recruitment and empowerment of women and one rank-one pension, among others, for review. Speedy defence procurement, especially armaments, is one of the major challenges being faced by the armed forces. While the country on an average spends around $10 billion (Rs 53,000 crore) each year to modernise its forces, there have been instances when some procurement was stalled either due to irregularities being detected in the procedure or delayed due to alterations in the Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs). On many occasions, Defence Minister AK Antony asked the Service chiefs to avoid changing the SQRs frequently that lead to delays. On its part, the Services argue that with rapid changes in technology, armed forces will be better served with the latest. The committee will look at the issue also in the context of the offsets under the Defence Procurement Procedure that mandates 30 per cent of value of orders be sourced within the country. The government made a series of amendments to expand areas that qualify towards offset obligations for foreign manufacturers who are awarded the contracts. The committee would also review cyber security mechanism with regard to strategic defence data maintained in computers and servers. The issue assumes significance in the wake of incidents of hacking by hostile foreign servers, including one in the Tri-services command in Andaman and Nicobar Islands two years ago. Up for review The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has identified issues such as swifter procurement, modernisation of industries, functioning of cantonments and stations, cyber security, modernisation of military airfields and service matters for review
	‘Super 30’, Tokyo varsity join hands Patna, October 24 The highly acclaimed "Super 30" educational programme, which trains students from economically backward sections for the IIT-JEE, today entered into an agreement with the University of Tokyo, which will sponsor study of its students in Japan. The pact was reached during a meeting between Anand Kumar, the founder of "Super 30", and Yoshino Hiroshi, Director, University of Tokyo. Under the agreement, the University of Tokyo will sponsor study of at least one student of "Super 30". The sponsorship will start with the admission of Indian students from October 2013, Yoshino said. “The University of Tokyo is reaching an understanding with the Patna-based mathematical group because of its remarkable performance of training economically poor students to qualify in top institutions like IIT,” he said. The university head said the engagement with Super 30 was part of Japanese government programme "Global 30" to increase flow of Indian students there. "Super 30" is an initiative of mathematician Anand Kumar in Bihar which trains 30 poor students every year for IIT-JEE. A majority of these students have succeeded in the test. — PTI
	As exams near, more kids run away from home Shiv Kumar/TNS Mumbai, October 24 A sudden increase in children running away from home coinciding with examination time has sparked off concern among police and educationists in Maharashtra. Over the past few weeks, children from cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and other cities have been reported to have run away from their homes or have been found wandering at distant places. Most of the children hail from middle class families and have been found to have left home because of pressures to perform academically. Last week, the Government Railway Police rescued two 15-year old boys from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. Both boys, say police, ran away from their homes in Nashik in order to take a break and tour Mumbai. "We have handed them over to their parent. The two boys were fed up of constant pressure to study and decided to run away," says Inspector Anand Bhide of the GRP. According to Bhide, police personnel posted at major railway stations have been trained to spot runaways and take them into custody. In another incident, two ten-year olds took off from home after being rebuked by their parents. Another child, a 9-year old, spent almost one month on the streets of Mumbai before being rescued. The boy later told police that he chose to escape after being punished for bunking his tuition classes. The police say most of the runaway children usually return home on their own after they run out of money. "But there is always a danger that the children may get trapped by the begging or prostitution mafia," says another police officer. Some of the more progressive schools in the city are looking at methods like yoga to help children counter stress. "We have yoga lessons so that children can take the pressures that come with a competitive environment," says Amita Shah, principal of the Sadhana Jain Education Society at Juhu in suburban Mumbai. Other major schools have come up with methods such as reiki and meditation for students. However, most of these resources are not available for students in government-run schools. Most students in these institutions come from economically weaker families that cannot afford decent housing and the pressure of education further affects their mental well-being, say educationists. Alarm bells Children from cities such as Mumbai, Thane and Nashik reported to have run away from their homes Most children hail from middle class families and had left home because of pressures to perform academically Some of the more progressive schools are looking at methods such as yoga to help children counter stress
	Baby boy stolen from hospital Mumbai, October 24 A newborn was today stolen from Wadia Hospital in Central Mumbai, the police said. The day-old boy was stolen during visiting hours when his mother, Jasmine Naik (28), was taking an evening walk in the corridor of the hospital, they said. She had left the baby unattended in the ward and was taking a stroll when someone took him away. The hospital didn't have CCTV cameras. According to eyewitnesses, they saw a saree-clad woman, aged around 25, leaving the room with the child. A case has been registered. — PTI
	Getting a passport to be easy soon Suresh Dharur/TNS Hyderabad, October 24 For passport applicants, the long and anxious wait may be a thing of the past. If the plans of the Ministry of External Affairs to set up a network between police stations and Regional Passport Office (RPO) fructifies, the applicants can receive their passports within a couple of weeks. A dedicated intranet link between all the police stations and Regional Passport Offices is being planned for speedy completion of police verification which is a pre-requisite before issuing the passports, the officials said. A pilot project is being planned in Andhra Pradesh as part of the ongoing reforms in passport services. Under the project, the special branch sleuths, who check the antecedents of applicants, can directly access intranet network from the police station. After collecting details of the applicants from the intranet, they can verify the background of the applicants and later through the network send the report to their superiors. The higher-ups in the police department will, in turn, forward the police verification certificates (PVCs) to the RPO using the same network. Soon after receiving the PVCs, the RPO will issue the passport, the officials said. “The initiative is aimed at reducing the cumbersome process of issuing PVCs in the districts as well as in the city within the prescribed period of 21 days. This step will enable us to grant passport in less than 45 days,” said the Regional Passport Officer K Srikar Reddy. At present, the offices of the district superintendents of police and RPOs are connected by intranet. The officers at the SP office forward the information to the police stations concerned. The local police officer verifies the background of the applicants and sends the report back to the SP office manually. This practice results in delay in completing the verification. About 30,000 applications are pending now because of the delay in getting PVCs resulting in further delay in granting passports.
	Take your garbage home, Goa village tells tourists Panaji, October 24 A Goa beach village now wants tourists to carry back the garbage they generate while having a ball on the beach. Betalbatim, a southern village 40 km from Panaji, this week passed a resolution saying tourists who picnic or party on its beach would be given plastic bags to stuff their garbage in and take back. “The gram sabha (village assembly) has resolved that garbage generated by tourists should be taken back," village head Esperance Fernandes told IANS over telephone. Goa's overcrowded beaches and countryside have seen garbage piling up, with the state failing to put in place an effective garbage disposal mechanism. Beer bottles, empty tetra packs and potato wafer packets are ubiquitous. Assorted dry waste litters the beach, left behind by irresponsible tourists and locals. Neither the coastal village panchayats nor the tourism department is equipped to safely dispose of the garbage collected by sweepers. Esperance Fernandes believes that the move by the village panchayat would help minimise the filth on the beach as well as set an example for other coastal village panchayats. "We will be employing labourers on the beach to help picnickers and beach-goers collect the garbage they generate and pack it in plastic bags. The garbage collection can be taken care of, but the disposal will have to be carried out by those who visit the beach," Esperance said. The resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority. Betalbatim village, with a resident population of nearly 4,000, is one of the quieter beaches in Goa although it is home to some of the top beach resorts as well as what some consider the mecca of Goan crab curry, Martins Corner. Star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is a regular visitor here. Garbage is one of the most contentious issues facing the tourism department along with overcrowding of its beaches. Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said the litter on the beaches prompted his department to go in for a mechanised beach cleaning option. "By December, when the biggest number of tourists starts to come in, we should be in a position to clean beaches with machines," Parulekar said. Goa's beaches annually attract nearly 2.6 million tourists, of which half a million are foreigners. — IANS
	Techie dies as temple chariot falls on him Bagalkot (Karnataka), October 24 A Bangalore-based software engineer was killed and two others sustained minor injuries after a temple chariot fell on them during a festival at a village here, the police said today. Vittal Bablad (36), son of a priest, died on the way to a hospital, they said. The victims had gone to Lokapura, about 40 kilometres from here, to witness the “Lord Venkateshwar Rathaotsav”, an annual festival. Those injured in the incident were walking by his side when the chariot fell on them, they said. The injured have been admitted to a hospital and have suffered minor fractures. It was not immediately known as to how the chariot fell on the devotees. — PTI