Intel grid linked to NPR with details of 119 crore residents, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• NATGRID, a secure platform for police and investigating agencies, has been linked to the National Population Register (NPR), which contains details of 119 crore Indian residents.
• The Union Home Ministry is promoting the use of NATGRID by state police and central agencies for intelligence gathering and criminal investigation.
• An Organised Crime Network Database is being developed on NATGRID to facilitate data-sharing between the NIA and State ATS.
• NATGRID is receiving approximately 45,000 requests per month and became operational last year, conceptualized post the 2009 Mumbai attacks.
• The Union Cabinet approved Census 2027 for ₹11,718 crore, with no separate allocation for updating the NPR.

Detailed Insights:

• NATGRID's integration with the NPR allows access to family-wise details, enhancing investigation capabilities by providing comprehensive data on individuals of interest.
• The Organised Crime Network Database on NATGRID aims to improve coordination and information exchange between national and state-level anti-terrorism agencies.
• Gandiva, an upgraded NATGRID tool, supports multi-source data collection, facial recognition, and entity resolution, streamlining the identification process.
• The NPR data was initially collected in 2010 with the 2011 Census and updated in 2015, serving as a potential foundation for a National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• Despite the approval of Census 2027, the government has not yet decided to update the NPR, raising questions about the future of the citizen database.

Key Concepts Involved:

• NATGRID: A secure platform facilitating real-time access to government and private databases for law enforcement agencies.
• NPR: A register containing demographic and family-wise details of residents in India.
• NRC: A proposed register of Indian citizens.