AIIMS Cyberattack pushes govt to formally declare health as 7th critical sector

The government is considering to make health as India’s seventh ‘critical sector’, sources have confirmed. 

The other key sectors such as banking, financial services and insurance, telecommunications and transportation among others are also awaiting final approval to be formally declared ‘critical sectors’.

According to a senior government official, the proposal was drawn last year but put on back burner. 

Sources said after the cyberattack on AIIMS servers, which exposed the security infrastructure of healthcare system, the proposal was once again pushed for the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

It is expected that the proposal made by the National Security Council Secretariat is likely to get cleared.

The AIIMS cyberattack, which took place last December, has led to an urgency to officially declare health as a critical sector to enhance protection of assets from cyber threats.

The move would help the ministry or department to get sufficient support from various cyber security establishments. Also, funds would be allocated accordingly for the purpose.

The present proposal is seeking an approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for formal declaration of seven sectors of the nation, that are, banking, Financial Services & Insurance, (BFSI), telecommunications, power & energy (P&E), Strategic & Public Enterprises (S&PE), transportation, government and health as ‘critical sectors’.