The Karnataka government has launched its new Cybersecurity Policy 2024, with a budget allocation of ₹104 crore aimed at combating online crime and raising awareness about cybersecurity initiatives over the next five years. The awareness program will concentrate on key areas, including education, skill-building, the promotion of industry and startups, and the development of partnerships for capacity building.

The budget of ₹103.87 crore will be drawn from the Department of IT, BT, and S&T. Of this amount, ₹23.74 crore is designated for incentives and concessions.

“The Karnataka government is recognizing the importance of cybersecurity and crafted this policy to establish a resilient and secure cyberspace for our citizens and enterprises,” said Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and ITBT.

The policy with two parts aims to focus on strengthening cyber security across society, including the public, academia, industry, start-ups, and government, and the second part focuses on enhancing the State’s IT assets.

The key aspects of the policy include an internship program and R&D grants, where companies can receive a grant of up to 50 per cent of their total R&D costs for cybersecurity projects, with a maximum limit of ₹50 lakhs. Furthermore, the policy includes provisions for cybersecurity audits. As part of the internship program, interns from Karnataka will receive a stipend of ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per month for up to three months, targeting 600 undergraduate and 120 postgraduate interns.

To oversee the policy’s implementation, a high-powered Cyber Security Committee (CSC) has been formed, led by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Government of Karnataka, with the Secretary of DPAR (e-Gov) serving as the Member Secretary. A Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) will be appointed at the state level, and each government department will have its own Information Security Officer (ISO).

Additionally, the Government of Karnataka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cisco to train 40,000 individuals in cybersecurity skills and awareness. This program emphasizes gender inclusivity, to ensure that 50 percent of participants are women.

This initiative aims to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap in Karnataka, enhance employability, and create opportunities in the growing cybersecurity sector.