Odisha Gears Up for Massive Cyber Awareness Drive Starting September 30

Bhubaneswar: In a concerted effort to bolster cyber awareness across the state, a high-level meeting convened at the Lok Seva Bhawan conference hall on Saturday evening under the leadership of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena.

The meeting witnessed the presence of key figures including Additional Chief Secretary Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh from the Home Department, Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Kumar Bansal, ADG of Crime Arun Bothra, Principal Secretaries, Commissioners-cum-Secretaries from various departments, Collectors from all districts, SPs, and senior Home department officers.

Chief Secretary Jena provided crucial instructions and recommendations to ensure the successful execution of the program in all districts, in collaboration with district administrations and the local police.

Jena urged Collectors to swiftly draft a roadmap for program success, emphasizing the pressing need for widespread awareness on cybercrime. He highlighted the importance of sending daily cyber awareness messages via mobile devices during the campaign.

Additional Chief Secretary DK Singh from the Home Department underscored how the lack of cyber awareness, especially among senior citizens, women, and the general public, has led to financial frauds and threats to life and property.

ADG of Crime, Arun Bothra, presented comprehensive preparations for enhancing cyber awareness from September 30 to October 15.

The program is set to kick off in Bhubaneswar on September 30, with Cyber Awareness Rath (chariots) launching in every district headquarters on October 2. These chariots will traverse schools, colleges, and panchayats across the districts, with various government departments instructed to actively support the initiative.

Peoples’ representatives, MLAs, voluntary organizations, ASHAs, and Anganwadi workers will participate at district, sub-division, and panchayat levels. Activities such as quiz competitions, short plays, padyatras, marathons, cycling events, wall painting, and mass media promotions will be organized to raise awareness among students.

To expand the program’s reach, cooperation will be sought from organizations and experts specializing in cybercrime prevention and data security.

The campaign will educate people on various cyber frauds and crimes, including ATM fraud, responsible internet use, safe financial transactions, and prevention of criminal activities on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

Furthermore, the meeting addressed measures to ensure that job seekers do not fall victim to rumors and scams during the ongoing recruitment process in various state government departments.