Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 16: Today, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo presided over the 35th Union Territory Level Coordination Committee (UTLCC) meeting organized by the Reserve Bank of India’s Jammu branch. The purpose of the meeting was to address concerns related to unauthorized deposits, fraudulent activities by unregulated entities, and the sharing of market intelligence among stakeholders.
In attendance were the Regional Director of the RBI, the Principal Secretary of the Home Department, the Principal Secretary of Finance, the ADGP (CID), the Secretary of Revenue, the Secretary of Law, the Director of Industries and Commerce, and the Joint Director of Information, Jammu. Additionally, senior officials from regulatory bodies in J&K, including the GM of RBI, the Registrar of Cooperatives, the RoC, the Market Intelligence Unit of RBI, and representatives from SEBI and ICAI were present.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary expressed concern over incidents of fraud affecting the residents of the UT and emphasized the need for stringent action against online scammers under the relevant provisions of the BUDS Act. He highlighted that committing such crimes is a cognizable offense and urged law enforcement agencies to take prompt action to protect the public from falling victim to these scams. He also called on regulatory bodies to establish guidelines that would aid law enforcement in their efforts.
Moreover, he encouraged bodies like the RBI and SEBI to raise public awareness and disseminate information through social media, WhatsApp, and mass messaging via banks operating in J&K. Chief Secretary Dulloo urged RBI officials to empower police officers in conducting effective investigations into online scams, suggesting the training of master trainers to educate around 5,000 investigation officers in the Police Department.
As digital marketing and online transactions grow increasingly popular, the Chief Secretary pointed out the rising vulnerability of individuals to these frauds. He stressed the importance of outreach campaigns aimed at students in colleges and residents in villages and local councils.
Furthermore, he reviewed the progress in resolving pending fraud cases and called for proactive measures to deter such fraudulent activities. He emphasized the importance of effectively implementing the BUDS Act and newly adopted criminal laws to eradicate this issue in J&K.
Dulloo also highlighted the necessity of taking firm action against fraudulent apps and websites, as well as Nidhi companies and other unregistered entities scamming the people of J&K. Regional Director of the Reserve Bank of India, Chandrashekhar Azad, discussed various strategies to combat the surge in cyber fraud and advocated for a collaborative approach among all stakeholders. Additionally, the Chief Secretary visited the Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) located in Teachers Bhawan, Gandhi Nagar, to assess the institute’s functioning.
“This facility will enhance our education system in line with the goals outlined in the New Education Policy-2020,” the Chief Secretary remarked during his visit. Accompanying him were the Principal Secretary of the School Education Department, the Project Director of Samagra Shiksha, the Director of School Education (Jammu), and other relevant officials from the Education Department.
While inspecting the soon-to-launch VSK, the Chief Secretary noted that the facility’s goal is to improve the learning outcomes of students. He regarded this initiative as a transformative step nearing completion, stressing the importance of monitoring attendance and infrastructure while providing analytics on teaching quality and areas for improvement within the department.
