Highlighting the need for providing security agencies immediate and automated access to information from reliable sources, Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday inaugurated the Bengaluru campus of National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) – an IT platform for accessing information dispersed from data collection agencies in the country.
Shah inaugurated the platform from NATGRID’s Bengaluru campus. He was in the state to participate in several events, including the foundation laying ceremony for the Nrupatunga University.
Also Read | Shah inaugurates NATGRID campus in Bengaluru
“Security requirements today have changed significantly as compared to the earlier security challenges in terms of data, scope and complexity. Therefore, there is a need for legal and security agencies to have automated, secure and immediate access to information obtained from reliable sources. The government has entrusted the task of developing and operating a state-of-the-art and innovative information technology platform for accessing information from data collection organisations to NATGRID,” Shah said.
The home minister added that the government will also develop a national database to monitor hawala transactions, terror funding, counterfeit currency, narcotics, bomb threats, illegal arms smuggling and other terrorist activities.
“Intelligence and legal agencies should now be able to make full use of them, with barriers to critical data being removed. With the help of data analytics and information technology, there should be a paradigm shift in the current way of working of agencies,” Shah said, adding that NATGRID will fulfill the responsibility of linking various sources of data.
{{/usCountry}}“Intelligence and legal agencies should now be able to make full use of them, with barriers to critical data being removed. With the help of data analytics and information technology, there should be a paradigm shift in the current way of working of agencies,” Shah said, adding that NATGRID will fulfill the responsibility of linking various sources of data.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read | Karnataka ministers, legislators get no audience with Amit Shah
NATGRID will be available to 11 central agencies and police of all states and Union territories.
Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of Nrupatunga University, Shah said India has joined the likes of the US and Israel in hitting back at those meddling with their borders and pointed out at the surgical strikes carried out in the wake of the terrorist attack in Pulwama.
“Earlier only two nations, the United States of America and Israel, used to retaliate whenever someone meddled with their borders and military. Now due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our great nation India has joined that group,” Shah said.
Legislative Council chairman meets Shah
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Karnataka legislative council, Basavaraj Horatti, on Tuesday met Shah here, and said he would join the BJP soon. Horatti was seen as a prominent Lingayat face of the JD(S).
“I will be resigning soon as Chairman of the Legislative Council. After that, a date will be fixed (for joining BJP) and I will be contesting the upcoming polls from BJP,” Horatti said.