Marking a decisive leap towards a more secure and digitally resilient administration, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, through its Department of Information Technology, successfully concluded a high-impact two day “Cyber Crisis Management Plan (CCMP) Workshop and Cybersecurity Exercise” at the prestigious Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC).
This landmark initiative was organized in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
Amid an escalating cyber threat landscape, this capacity-building program was strategically tailored to equip the top government officials, Administrative Secretaries, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Information Security Officers (ISOs) and Nodal Officers with advanced knowledge and hands-on capabilities in cyber risk mitigation and crisis response.
The inaugural session was chaired by Minister for Information Technology, Satish Sharma.
The Minister emphasized the criticality of cybersecurity in delivering seamless and secure citizen services, calling the initiative a “pivotal milestone” in J&K’s digital governance journey.
Delivering the welcome address, Dr. Piyush Singla, Secretary, IT Department, stated: “In the present digital age, robust cyber security is not just a technical need but a pillar of good governance and public trust.” He urged the officers to adopt a proactive mindset and build cyber-resilient systems capable of withstanding modern threats.
The workshop featured a keynote address by Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary, FCS&CA, who highlighted the need for preventive strategies, inter-departmental synergy and continuous learning. He encouraged the officers to become “cyber warriors”, championing the cyber security in their respective domains.
Throughout the two day event, the participants engaged in expert-led sessions, policy discussions and simulation exercises designed to strengthen both technical competence and institutional preparedness. Topics included contemporary threat vectors, policy frameworks and development of customised departmental response strategies.
The program concluded with a Valedictory Ceremony, featuring a special address by Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In. He praised the participants’ engagement and urged a shift from reactive approaches to proactive cyber resilience.
“Cyber security today demands rapid recovery protocols, continuous drills, and robust implementation of the Cyber Crisis Management Plan,” Dr. Bahl asserted, emphasizing the need for institutional muscle memory to tackle emerging threats.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Piyush Singla reiterated the importance of sustained training, awareness and collaboration.
The event concluded with vote of thanks by Mahima Madan, CEO, JaKeGA.
The Secretary IT appreciated workshop’s seamless execution by Rachna Sharma, Deputy Secretary, IT, who is Nodal Officer for Trainings and Capacity building, IT Department.
This workshop stands as a cornerstone in Jammu & Kashmir’s strategic alignment with the national Digital India mission. As cyber threats grow in frequency and complexity, the Government of J&K’s continued investment in such capacity-building initiatives reflects its unwavering commitment towards securing the digital infrastructure and reinforcing citizen trust in a digitally empowered governance ecosystem.