(a) whether the Government has received complaints of blackmailing owing to clicking objectionable photographs and poses of children;
(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to address the said complaints; and
(c) if not, the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to check such crimes against children and to generate public awareness in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)
(a) and (b) ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. States/Union Territories (UTs) are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes, including cyber-crimes on children. The Government gives high priority to such crimes against children. Apart from advisories issued to them in the matter, the States/UTs have been given financial assistance under the Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme for capacity building in tackling cyber-crime against women & children, which
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L.S.US.Q.NO. 4378 FOR 23.03.2021
includes, inter-alia, setting up cyber forensic cum training laboratories, deployment of junior cyber consultants and training/capacity building of Police, prosecutors and judicial officers. To facilitate ease in reporting complaints by citizens, an online National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) has been operationalized. Complaints can also be given anonymously on the portal. Further, a toll-free helpline (155260) has been operationalized to assist citizens in lodging online complaints in their own language. To create awareness on this issue, the Ministry of Home Affairs has published a Handbook for Adolescents/Students on Cyber Safety, in order to make them aware about various types of cyber crimes and how to protect themselves from such crimes. This Handbook is also shared on NCERT website by Ministry of Education. Similarly, as a part of their Information Security and Education Awareness Project, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has shared guidelines for children, students, women etc, on their portal. The Government has enacted the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 as a special law to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The Government has amended the POCSO Act to make it more stringent in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse in the country.
(c) Does not arise in view of reply to (a) and (b) above.
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