Centre pushing to revive NATGRID

NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid)

Current status:

The Union government is set to make an aggressive effort to accomplish one of the most ambitious intelligence projects in recent memory, which failed to take off during United Progressive Alliance rule.

On December 16, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a circular to fill the post of CEO of NATGRID.

The circular calls for applicants with a Masters in Electronics, IT or equivalent with an experience of working in the IT-related field for 25 years.

Both serving as well as retired government officials can apply.

The circular also says that if a private person is hired, his/her salary would be Rs. 10 lakh a month and if it’s a government servant, it will be his last drawn salary or the present salary.

National Democratic Alliance government refused to renew the contract ofRaghu Raman, NATGRID’s first and only CEO on the basis of an alleged adverse intelligence report.

Ashok Prasad, Secretary, Internal Security, who is holding additional charge of NATGRID, is said to be the frontrunner for the post .

Mr. Prasad, a 1979 batch IPS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre.

Ashok prasad

What is NATGRID ?

It is the integrated intelligence grid connecting databases of core security agencies of the Government of India to collect comprehensive patterns of intelligence that can be readily accessed by intelligence agencies.

It was first proposed in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008 since,the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai led to the exposure of several weaknesses in India’s intelligence gathering and action networks .

It was yet to establish .

Why NATGRID?

Before the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the American Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley had visited India several times and done a recce of the places that came under attack on 26/11.

headley

Despite having travelled to India several times and having returned to the US through Pakistan or West Asia, his trips failed to raise the suspicion of Indian agencies as they lacked a system that could reveal a pattern in his unusual travel itineraries and trips to the country.

It is argued that had a system like the NATGRID been in place, Headley would have been apprehended well before the attacks.

How does NATGRID works?

It is a counter terrorism measure that collects and collates a host of information from government databases including tax and bank account details, credit card transactions, visa and immigration records and itineraries of rail and air travel.

This combined data will be made available to all the Indian central agencies.

Implementaaion of NATGRID:

NATGRID is being implemented in four phases.

Raghuraman

The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the first two phases in 2011 and P. Raghu Raman was appointed the Secretary and CEO of NATGRID.

The implementation of the third and fourth phases are expected to require amendments to several laws to allow for the sharing and transfer of data on items such as property and bank transaction details and internet usage.

Merits:

NATGRID is essentially a tool that enables security agencies to locate and obtain relevant information on terror suspects from pooled data of various organisations and services in the country.

It will help identify, capture and prosecute terrorists and help preempt terrorist plots.

Critics:

Possible violations of privacy and leakage of confidential personal information.

No state agency or police force has access to its database thus reducing chances of immediate, effective action.

NATGRID claims to be protected by several structural and procedural safeguards and oversight mechanisms including that of external audits and technology safeguards.

Which are the security agencies of Government of India ?

National Technical Research Organisation

Research and Analysis Wing

Intelligence Bureau

Narcotics Control Bureau

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

Defence Intelligence Agency

Joint Cipher Bureau

Signals Intelligence Directorate

Directorate of Air Intelligence

Directorate of Navy Intelligence

Directorate of Income Tax (Intelligence and Criminal Investigation)

Directorate General of Income Tax Investigation.

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