New Delhi, Feb 3 Cyber forensic divisions are being established in Punjab, Nagaland, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, while 27 States and Union Territories already have such facilities, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, said that Sikkim is the only state without such a facility.
The MoS said the remaining four Union Territories - Chandigarh, Daman Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Lakshadweep, and Ladakh are utilising forensic science facilities available in their neighbouring States/Union Territories, as well as those of the Central Forensic Science Laboratories.
He said the Government of India has established a National Cyber Forensic Laboratory (Evidentiary) (NCFL (E)) at the CFSL, Hyderabad, with a total financial outlay of Rs 37.34 crore.
The MoS said funds to the tune of Rs 126.84 crore have been approved under the umbrella scheme “Safety of Women” for the establishment of six 06 NCFLs(E) in Central Forensic Science Laboratories located at Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata (West Bengal), Kamrup (Assam), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), and Pune (Maharashtra).
So far, Rs 22.51 crore out of the approved amount has been utilised, he said.
Replying to a question on pending cases in cyber forensic labs in different states, the MoS said the details are not maintained centrally.
Sharing data on pendency at the Central lab in Hyderabad, he said that as of date, 181 cases are pending for examination at NCFL (E) Hyderabad, which has four in-house experts and five contractual manpower.
Bandi Sanjay Kumar said reskilling and upskilling of cyber professionals is an inherent and ongoing process, part of their functional responsibilities, and carried out primarily through on-the-job learning.
The National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) also conducts various training programs in the field of cyber forensics, he said, adding that in the last five years, as many as 66 training programmes with 1,852 participants have been conducted by the NFSU for the officers of various government departments.
--IANS
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