Armed Forces must evolve norms for cyber security: Pranab

New Delhi, Apr 17 (UNI) Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today called upon the Chiefs of Armed Forces to evolve norms for computer and cyber security to check leakage of classified information.

Observing that there was a gross violation of norms of secrecy and confidentiality in some recent cases, he said instructions regarding permission for commercial employment for retired service personnel should be reviewed.

''Our endeavour should be to carefully scrutinise the credentials of Ex-servicemen working with foreign and Indian commercial firms and they should be discouraged from attending social functions organised by the Services,'' Mr Mukherjee said, addressing the Army Commanders' Conference here.

''The Army Commanders need to sensitise the personnel under their command to plug all possible loopholes in this regard.'' The Defence Minister said the Pre-Contract Integrity Pact will be signed in all procurement cases, both capital and revenue, where the estimated cost exceeded Rs 100 crore.

''A standard integrity pact has been formulated which will now form part of the RFP in all such procurement cases.'' He said the government had decided to set up an Armed Forces Tribunal for adjudicating disputes and complaints relating to service matters of the members of the three services and appeals arising out of the verdicts of Court Martial.

''The Bill has been referred to the Standing Committee on Defence for examination,'' he said and expressed the hope that the Tribunal would be operationalised soon.

Expressing concern over the alarming increase in the number of statutory complaints in the Indian Army, he said the Service Headquarters needed to ascertain the reasons for the sudden spurt in the number of complaints and to suggest remedies.

He also favoured disposal of non-statutory complaints within stipulated time periods.

''The vested power should be exercised diligently and in a just, reasonable and fair manner, so that elements of arbitrariness and bias are wholly avoided and it could stand the scrutiny of Government and higher judiciary, if contested,'' he said.

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