Enhancing Cybersecurity Frameworks in Rajasthan: A State-Level Workshop

Workshop on Cybersecurity Frameworks

Jaipur hosted a significant workshop on Friday titled 'Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks for State Data' as part of the third phase of the national consultation process. This event was organized by the Center of Excellence for Revenue Research and Analysis (COERRA) in collaboration with the Rajasthan government's Department of Information Technology and Communication, along with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the National e-Governance Division.

During the workshop, discussions revolved around six key topics, including risk-based assessments, security monitoring of IT assets, the safety of State Data Centers and SWAN, the establishment of Security Operation Centers (SOC) and State Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT), modernization of legacy systems, principles of Secure-by-Design and Zero Trust, data classification, and the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, along with the appointment of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) across all departments.

Speakers emphasized the importance of effectively addressing emerging cyber threats, enhancing cyber resilience, improving inter-departmental coordination, and adopting best practices from both national and international standards. They also highlighted the critical need for the effective implementation of the DPDP Act, 2023, and the DPDP Rules, 2025.

The workshop commenced with a welcome address and a vote of thanks from Akhilesh Mittal, the Technical Director of the Department of Information Technology and Communication. Notable attendees included Dinesh Didel, Director (Technology Management) of the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Arshil Khan, Team Lead (Cyber Law), and Mahesh Sharma, Additional Superintendent of Police from the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), who shared their insights.

Shantanu Kumar Singh Chandrawat, Deputy Inspector General (Cyber Crime), expressed concern over the rising incidents of cybercrime and stressed the need for training skilled 'cyber warriors' in the state. He mentioned that coordinated efforts between the Department of Information Technology and Communication and the Cyber Crime Unit are enhancing the effectiveness of the state's cybersecurity framework.

Technical and knowledge sessions during the workshop featured senior project officers from the Department of Information Technology and Communication, who provided detailed information on various aspects of the national cybersecurity framework, including technical, policy, and implementation issues.

The workshop concluded with a collection of suggestions and recommendations from participants, which will be compiled and submitted to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, for the development of the final national cybersecurity framework. Chief Information Security Officers, Deputy Chief Information Security Officers, and senior officials from various state government departments participated in the event.