Published: Tuesday, Jun 7, 2011, 1:30 IST By Harish Gupta
Place: New Delhi Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_new-terror-snoop-will-dog-your-every-move_1552065
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday gave its in-principle approval to Union home minister P Chidamabaram’s brainchild — the ambitious National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) project.
NATGRID, which was conceptualised after the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, aims to integrate all information regarding citizens to help intelligence and security agencies tackle terror threats. This means the government will have an eye on you every time you swipe your debit or credit card, travel and make calls.
The project had been awaiting clearance since December 2010. The finance ministry had raised concerns about the infringement of privacy and had shot down a proposal to have the complete data of all savings bank account holders. Various central agencies too were apprehensive about sharing sensitive information.
The approval for NATGRID came after Chidambaram on Monday allayed fears about the misuse of privacy and confidential data.
The ministry of home affairs (MHA) made a detailed presentation about the project along with the safeguards and oversight mechanisms. NATGRID will function under the home ministry and a detailed proposal will be brought before the Centre later.
The project will have a budget of Rs2,800 crore and will be headed by Raghu Raman, 47, an ex-serviceman and former chief of the Mahindra Special Service Group.
As per plan, 21 databases will be integrated into one centralised database in order to provide quick access to the security agencies on information regarding terror suspects and internal security threats.
These include details of income tax, railways, airlines, stock exchanges, bank accounts, credit card transactions, visa and immigration records, telecom service providers and chemical vendors.
Eleven agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, Defence Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Air Intelligence, Directorate of Naval Intelligence, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Enforcement Directorate, will have access to the centralised database.
Security agencies had lost crucial time in scrambling for information from several agencies after the 26/11 attack. “At present, the police have to go through a long-drawn process of reaching out to different officials to garner any information on a terror suspect. This takes months. NATGRID will simplify the process and every movement of a citizen can be tracked down on the basis of real-time information,” a MHA official said.
It will have a command centre that will work as an anti-terror hotline and will have a transnational connect to networks with data available in other countries. In the first phase, NATGRID will be linked only to the databases available with the Centre and the crime records with the police. Only in the second phase, will the NATGRID cross-link different pieces of information and flag "tripwires" that indicate some unlawful or terrorist activity is in progress or likely to take place.
Place: New Delhi Agency: DNA
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_new-terror-snoop-will-dog-your-every-move_1552065
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday gave its in-principle approval to Union home minister P Chidamabaram’s brainchild — the ambitious National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) project.
NATGRID, which was conceptualised after the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, aims to integrate all information regarding citizens to help intelligence and security agencies tackle terror threats. This means the government will have an eye on you every time you swipe your debit or credit card, travel and make calls.
The project had been awaiting clearance since December 2010. The finance ministry had raised concerns about the infringement of privacy and had shot down a proposal to have the complete data of all savings bank account holders. Various central agencies too were apprehensive about sharing sensitive information.
The approval for NATGRID came after Chidambaram on Monday allayed fears about the misuse of privacy and confidential data.
The ministry of home affairs (MHA) made a detailed presentation about the project along with the safeguards and oversight mechanisms. NATGRID will function under the home ministry and a detailed proposal will be brought before the Centre later.
The project will have a budget of Rs2,800 crore and will be headed by Raghu Raman, 47, an ex-serviceman and former chief of the Mahindra Special Service Group.
As per plan, 21 databases will be integrated into one centralised database in order to provide quick access to the security agencies on information regarding terror suspects and internal security threats.
These include details of income tax, railways, airlines, stock exchanges, bank accounts, credit card transactions, visa and immigration records, telecom service providers and chemical vendors.
Eleven agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, Defence Intelligence Agency, Directorate of Air Intelligence, Directorate of Naval Intelligence, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Enforcement Directorate, will have access to the centralised database.
Security agencies had lost crucial time in scrambling for information from several agencies after the 26/11 attack. “At present, the police have to go through a long-drawn process of reaching out to different officials to garner any information on a terror suspect. This takes months. NATGRID will simplify the process and every movement of a citizen can be tracked down on the basis of real-time information,” a MHA official said.
It will have a command centre that will work as an anti-terror hotline and will have a transnational connect to networks with data available in other countries. In the first phase, NATGRID will be linked only to the databases available with the Centre and the crime records with the police. Only in the second phase, will the NATGRID cross-link different pieces of information and flag "tripwires" that indicate some unlawful or terrorist activity is in progress or likely to take place.
