Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Government of Goa has intensified efforts to strengthen cybersecurity across its digital infrastructure with a state-level workshop on Strengthening Cyber Security Frameworks for State Data, organised by the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.
The workshop, held at Altinho, brought together senior government officials and representatives from various State departments to discuss strategies for securing government data, improving cyber preparedness and ensuring safe delivery of digital public services to citizens.
The inaugural session was attended by Shri Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director, DITE&C; Dr. Milind Sakhardande, Joint Director, DITE&C; Shri Rahul Gupta, IPS, Superintendent of Police (Crime); Shri Aditya Madanpotra, IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF); Shri Akash Kantak, Deputy Director, DITE&C; Shri Rajesh Pednekar, Assistant Director, DITE&C; Shri Arshil Khan, Team Lead, Cyber Law, NeGD; Smt. Sharda Katare, Head SeMT Goa; and Shri Alwyn Pais, Professor, Department of Computer Science & Engineering, NITK-Surathkal.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Kabir Shirgaonkar highlighted the importance of developing a robust cybersecurity ecosystem to safeguard citizen data and government services. He said MeitY has initiated a four-stage exercise to create a common cybersecurity framework for States, with focus areas including Security Operations Centres (SOCs), Cyber Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) and Cyber Crisis Management Plans.
He added that Goa is actively working towards implementing these mechanisms to strengthen protection against evolving cyber threats and enhance the security of digital governance systems.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rahul Gupta, IPS, Superintendent of Police (Crime), underlined the need for a proactive approach towards cybersecurity. He said that as government services increasingly move online, cyber hygiene, secure technology, trained manpower and continuous monitoring have become essential components of effective governance.
The workshop featured detailed sessions on Cybersecurity in Digital Governance, covering emerging cyber threats, data protection measures and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act. Officials were also briefed on national initiatives aimed at improving cybersecurity standards across States and Union Territories.
Representatives from departments including Health, Agriculture, NIC, Goa Electronics Ltd. (GEL) and Infotech Corporation of Goa Ltd. (ITG) shared their existing cybersecurity practices, operational challenges and initiatives during an interactive session.
A key highlight of the programme was the departmental breakout discussions, where participants deliberated on risk-based security assessments, State Data Centre and SWAN security, SOCs and CSIRTs, secure-by-design approaches, data classification and cybersecurity capacity building.
The recommendations and inputs gathered during the workshop will contribute to the national cybersecurity framework to be discussed at the National Summit scheduled in August 2026.
Through such capacity-building initiatives, DITE&C aims to create a secure and resilient digital ecosystem in Goa, ensuring stronger protection of citizen information and uninterrupted delivery of government services in the face of emerging cyber risks.
