Current Affairs: New IT Ministry Formed

New Ministry - Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • Administration of the IT Act and other IT-related laws would come under the new Ministry. The Government has taken out the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeITY) from the remit of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi has carved out a mega role for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology with say over all policy matters relating to information technology, electronics and the Internet, other than licensing of Internet Service Providers.
  • On July 18, the Cabinet Secretariat notified the amendments made by President Pranab Mukherjee to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 pertaining to the Ministry of Electronics and Information and the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.
UIDAI powers
  • Under the new rules, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, led by Ravi Shankar Prasad, will have complete jurisdiction over the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and National Informatics Centre. 
  • All matters relating to cyber laws, administration of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000) and other IT-related laws would be part of the domain of the new Ministry.
  • The Electronics and Information Technology Ministry has been entrusted with the task of promotion of the Internet, IT and IT-enabled services, assistance to other departments in the promotion of e-Governance, e-Commerce, e-Medicine, e-Infrastructure and promotion of IT education and IT-based education.
  • Further, two separate departments, Telecommunications and Posts, have been placed under the Ministry of Communications headed by the Minister of State for Communications (Independent Charge) Manoj Sinha.
Functions of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

The Allocation of Business Rules Pertaining to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(As published in Part I, Section 3, Sub—Section (ii) of the Gazette of India)1
  • Policy matters relating to information technology; Electronics; and Internet (all matters other than licensing of Internet Service Provider).
  • Promotion of internet, IT and IT enabled services.
  • Assistance to other departments in the promotion of E-Governance, E- Commerce, E- Medicine, E- Infrastructure, etc.
  • Promotion of Information Technology education and Information Technology-based education.
  • Matters relating to Cyber Laws, administration of the Information Technology Act. 2000 (21 of 2000) and other IT related laws.
  • Matters relating to promotion and manufacturing of Semiconductor Devices in the country excluding all matters relating to Semiconductor Complex Limited (SCL), Mohali; The Semiconductor Integrated Circuits layout Design Act, 2000 (37 of 2000).2
  • Interaction in IT related matters with international agencies and bodies e. g. Internet for Business Limited (IFB), Institute for Education in Information Society (IBI) and International Code Council – on line (ICC).
  • Initiative on bridging the Digital Divide: Matters relating to Media Lab Asia.
  • Promotion of Standardization, Testing and Quality in IT and standardization of procedure for IT application and Tasks.
  • Electronics Export and Computer Software Promotion Council (ESC).
  • National Informatics Centre (NIC).
  • Initiatives for development of Hardware/Software industry including knowledge–based enterprises, measures for promoting IT exports and competitiveness of the industry.
  • All matters relating to personnel under the control of the Department.
  • Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

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