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The Importance of Being Earnest

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India011 mins

Oscar Wild in 18th century, wrote a play called, ‘Importance of being Earnest.’ The play talks about a wealthy gentleman called Jack, who uses the name of Earnest when visiting a different town. Jack’s friend Algernon (Algy) also christens an imaginary friend Bunbury. The author clearly points towards the different lifestyle that Jack lives when he switches the name. Both the characters indulge in deception, created by the two names, or the imaginary friend as per their convenience highlighting the importance of being Earnest. Earnest in English language is defined as a thing intended or regarded as a sign or promise of what is to come. The intended satire of this English classic, although first performed in 18th century fits in modern day cookie world also. The websites or the web tools use cookies to predict what you would like to see. Cookies are actually given to a browser by the server. These cookies, then help the website to determine your interests, your likes, your dislikes etc. So if you have searched for a thing on the web and find ads related to it when you are visiting social media platforms, it’s just your cookies telling your social media about your likes and dislikes. The social media is a small part of our daily life. We are living in a globalised world, where the distance is just a number. IT has revolutionised the way we communicate, the way we spend our time, the way we shop, and most importantly the way we work. We are living a data driven life, making data an important tool. Imagine, if just like our social media platforms, our work and related data are also used to predict what we wish to do. The indication in itself has two faces. One points towards Business Intelligence (BI) wherein the data is used to automate our daily process and the other points towards data access provided to users without our consent, commonly known as data leakage. The problem is exactly as has been raised in the play. Can we trust the web resources we have been relying upon? For BI the data moves in order to generate meaningful analysis, which can support business decisions, but the business is aware of the data movement and expects it to be turned into meaningful results. Apart from BI also, a huge amount of data flows from and within the organization. Be it through mail, phone calls, messages or marketing brochures. We are sharing the data, and if we are sharing the data, then what harm would a web portal sharing the data do? The answer to the dilemma is simple – when we share the data or the information, we are in total control. We can control the level of information that we share, as well as decide the receiver of the information. But in the case of our tool sharing the information, there is no control over what will be shared or how much would be shared. Recently, a social media giant was questioned for data privacy in the US. The organisation under question has a user base of millions and is a global brand. The brand is famous for not generating its own content, but has been accused of selling the customers’ information to a third party. The case for now seems to be confined to just social media, but if a similar thing happens with the web tool that we use for our official purpose, it will be a nightmares for business stakeholders. The impact of the harm from data leakage is hard to anticipate, and when we look at private security organisations the scenario turns into a complex equation. The organisation’s biggest resource is manpower which is exposed to high attrition. The manpower moves from agency to agency, and agencies are looking for guards. Hiring new guards brings training cost with it, making new hiring an expensive business. Along with the industry specific risk, the industry also faces the generic risk of exposing their contract/ tender value which can pose a direct danger to the agency’s income. The damage is not restricted to the private security organisation only but to the customer also. The customers hire private security agencies in order to protect their premises, but if the information such as guard allocation is out it can jeopardise customer’s security also. Specific to private security industry, a contradictory statement that is often heard in the industry is that the private security industry in India is highly unorganised. The ‘unorganised’ in the statement refers to the minimal usage of process solutions streamlining daily operations of the industry. But the statement is deceiving in its own terms. Most of the private security agencies rely readily upon available solutions. The commonly used solutions do not have any encryption and generate data in a format which can be easily transferred. The lack of encryption and easy availability of the solution makes the data prone to leakage. Some of the agencies have opted for offline solutions which, unlike the readily available solutions, are agency specific. These solutions need to be maintained in-house only. The private security agency has its expertise in manned guarding, and for an agency to invest in their solution maintenance is more of a cost than investment. Moreover, the technology changes rapidly, and the in-house software are often found lagging behind the latest technology, turning them into a burden for the agency rather than a solution. Cloud computing has revolutionised the world and looks like a perfect solution to the needs of the industry. Private security agencies should be able to relate to cloud computing more than any industry. Cloud computing is like giving our data to an expert to keep it secure and provide the authorised access whenever requested. Cloud solution providers deal in data and thus are well equipped to secure the data. There are solutions in the market which can work as a bridge between the agencies’ daily operations and cloud servers. These solutions…

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School Security Systems Industry

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India06 mins

With the growing number of schools in the United States with video surveillance, electronic access control and other traditional security systems, the number of potential ‘greenfield’ projects for suppliers falls. Declining numbers of new security system installations will lead to slowing market growth over the next five years. Even so, security manufacturers are looking to implement the following new security technologies to improve school safety, which would also help reignite market growth. HIGHLIGHTS The education sector of the market for security equipment and services reached $2.7 billion in revenue in 2017. As most schools have already implemented surveillance systems and access control systems, the market is expected to grow an average of just 1 percent annually, reaching $2.8 billion by 2021. According to survey data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the proportion of schools deploying video surveillance systems has risen from 20 percent in 1999 to over 70 percent in 2013. Likewise, the proportion of schools actively controlling the entrances to their buildings has risen from 75 percent to over 90 percent. Despite advancements in the level of security used on school premises, the number mass shootings at US schools has remained relatively constant throughout the past 30 years. When looking specifically at secondary schools, the number of mass shootings has reached an unprecedented high in the past five years. New technologies are currently being investigated to improve safety at schools, including facial recognition, logical and physical security identity management integration and high security classroom doors. Facial recognition technology Many of the video surveillance systems currently used in schools are not actively monitored and also lack any form of effective automated response. Adoption of facial recognition technology would allow the surveillance system to proactively search for potential threats and alert school administrators and security staff about unrecognized individuals in the building. Unfortunately, affordable facial recognition technologies are often unable to adequately recognize the number of faces in a typical school; plus, these systems can place a large strain on a school’s information technology network. Logical and physical security identity management integration Integrating the school’s access control database with a higher authority logical database – for example, a student directory – would allow the access rights of former staff, and students who have been expelled or already graduated, to be removed automatically. However, access control providers may find it difficult to get permission to access student records and other sensitive data. Education administrators may also be uncomfortable with possibly creating a potential avenue of cyberattack. High-security classroom doors with multipoint looking systems Higher-grade doors would create a far more effective barrier between students and potential attackers, creating numerous safe spaces throughout the building in emergencies. It’s also true, though, that purchasing thousands of doors would be expensive. Fire regulations often dictate that key entrances and exits remain fail-safe during emergencies. Locking and unlocking doors multiple times would also disrupt teaching. Weapons checks using metal detectors or x-ray machines at school entrances Using metal detectors or x-ray machines at entrances along the school perimeter makes bringing weapons into the school much more difficult. However, schools often have multiple entrances, which means each school would require multiple detectors or x-ray machines – both of which are expensive. The school would also need to hire additional security staff to operate each machine. Securing entrances in this manner would also mean long queues would form after breaks and lunchtime, reducing the free time of students and staff. Access Control Intelligence Service Entering its fourth full year, the IHS Markit Access Control Intelligence Service provides primary analysis of the equipment market, plus thorough investigation of key technology trends affecting the industry. Current topics of focus include: mobile access, logical and physical identity management integration, adoption of biometric technology and security system convergence. By Jim Dearing Security and Building Technologies, Senior Analyst, IHS Markit  

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Private Security Industry Job Creation and Skill Development

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India350 mins

The demand for security services is increasing due to rising urbanisation, the real and perceived risks of crime and terrorism, belief that public safety measures are insufficient, and the growth of a middle class with assets to protect and means to pay for supplementary security measures. The security service market is also supported by an improved economic environment and building construction activity. The private security sector has emerged as a major industry by virtue of the employment of large manpower, both skilled and unskilled, to meet the burgeoning demands of the corporate sector. With national security assuming greater criticality and lower police to people ratio in the country, private security industry can act as extended arms of the law enforcement agencies. This will help relieve police forces from non-critical duties to focus on core areas. With the anticipated growth of the industry, the employment opportunities are tremendous. Since, majority of the workforce employed is in the unorganized sector, the potential for skilling is evident. Current time requires private security personnel to multitask and use technology to perform security, safety and facilitation functions. Skill development, especially Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), reskilling and upskilling are key issues, and therefore, investment in human capital is vital in preparing this industry to take on greater responsibilities. The regulatory framework governing this industry also needs proper enforcement. Unorganized segment has largely remained unchecked and players usually skip adhering to mandatory compliance requirements, which creates a detrimental impact for all stakeholders including employees and clients. It is imperative for the governments to ensure strict enforcement of the regulations that will improve service delivery quality levels as well as work environment for the security personnel. – DILIP CHENOY Secretary General, FICCI The Indian personal security market was estimated at INR 57,000 crore (USD 8.8 billion) in 2016 and is likely to touch INR 99,000 crore (USD 15.2 billion) by 2020, and INR 1.5 lakh crores (USD 23.1 billion) by 2022. Apart from revenue growth, the private security industry (PSI) is also evolving in its employment practices. Leading industry players are setting new standards by focusing on training and skill development of their people and customer satisfaction, establishing employee. welfare funds, ensuring timely payment of salaries, and defining career progression paths for high-performing employees. The Indian economy, as per the latest World Bank figures, is now the world’s 6th largest economy, and is expected to grow at 7.4% in 2018 and 7.8% in 2019. With the economy and businesses growing, security needs are also expanding, which is further necessitated by the ever-increasing security risks and related threat perceptions. Deployment of specialised personnel and systems to prevent and manage security risks and threats including accidents and incidents are vital for peaceful operations at a place. Therefore, the need for implementing security measures and systems at public places such as airports, railways and metro stations, shopping malls and markets, hotels and public utilities, as well as industrial complexes, commercial spaces, offices and residential blocks has risen multi-fold. Indian Private Security Industry (PSI) has also expanded at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 20% over the last decade by adding new players in the field as well as scaling their operational capabilities. In fact, private security in India is the 2nd largest sector, after agriculture, in terms of employment, with close to 9 million employees. Traditionally, it has been an unorganised sector with only around 40% of the market share with the organised players. However, the industry is progressing towards being organised as the consumer demand for security is gradually evolving from a mere guard to a professional and skilled guard, trained for movement of men and material, fire incidents, medical exigencies etc. Further, technology is progressively playing an ever-increasing role in the valueaddedd services being offered by the industry that include artificial intelligence, internet of things, hi-tech surveillance systems, biometric technologies, remote sensors, cyber security etc. – CDR GAUTAM NANDA Leader – Aerospace, Defence & Security Associate Partner – Government Advisory, BDO India LLP The private security industry is amongst the largest employers in India, employing almost 8.9 million people, with the potential to employ 3.1 million more by 2022. The PSI also has a unique distinction of being the largest corporate tax contributor to the national exchequer. As per a study by The Guardian, the global market in the year 2017 was USD 180 billion and is expected to be worth USD 240 billion by 2020. In contrast, the Indian private security industry (PSI) is expected to grow faster at about 20% CAGR owing to the changing landscape of the sector in India. However, there remains a shortfall of manpower of about 30% with a potential to generate a number of jobs for the rural and urban poor. Workforce size of PSI is more than the combined strength of the Army, Navy, Air force and Police put together. With 8.9 million security guards and 1.9 million police officers, India has 5 times as many private security guards than police officers. The sanctioned strength of police personnel (civil and armed) in 2016 was just 2,464,484, which the employment in the PSI far exceeds. The following table shows data derived from Forbes and Statista estimates, depicting the ratio of personnel employed in private security to that in police force in selected countries. The figures show that India whilst topping the list, far exceeds other countries in terms of the divide between personnel employed in PSI and police force. Clearly, there is a vast potential for the large workforce in PSI to provide allied police services along with the law enforcement agencies to fill up the current gap. However, it would require an appropriate policy framework. Some of the allied police services which are globally outsourced to private security are: Security of the outer periphery of prisons and transportation of prisoners. Senior citizen preventive security services. Street surveillance and video control room management. Assist police in handling emergencies and disasters. Background verification of employment applicants. Security management for…

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Drone Technology: Security Threats and Benefits for Police, Focus of INTERPOL Forum

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India09 mins

The drone whizzed over the heads of the crowd seated in the auditorium of the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI) in Singapore, performing aerial manoeuvres displaying its ability to operate in enclosed indoor spaces. A second demonstration showcased drones designed for use in outdoor spaces, highlighting the benefits and also challenges of deploying such technology in public areas. Drone technology was front and centre at the IGCI during the Drone Expert Forum, a three-day (28-30 August) conference which brought together nearly 100 experts from law enforcement, academia and private industry to demonstrate how drones can at the same time be a threat, particularly for critical infrastructure, a tool and source of evidence for police worldwide. Organized by the INTERPOL Innovation Centre and Counter-Terrorism unit with the support of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Netherlands Police, the conference was a first step towards developing the global capacity to deal with the emerging threat posed by ‘unmanned aerial systems’ known as drones. To this end, continued engagement with experts in the field will assist INTERPOL in facilitating information exchange, as well as developing a set of guidelines and operational procedures for first responders to follow in the event of a drone incident, and to assist forensic examiners in extracting data from drones to support investigations. “The impact of drones on law enforcement activities around the world continues to increase. Daily, I hear of new agencies considering how to use them in law enforcement activities; weekly, I hear of agencies receiving them in connection with active investigations; and it seems that every month a new twist on the drone threat emerges,” said Steve Watson, Chief Executive Officer of VTO Labs, who gave the keynote address. “The INTERPOL Drone Expert Forum has assembled a world-class group of experts and practitioners on the topic of drones and their intersection with law enforcement activities. INTERPOL continues to find ways to exercise leadership and inspiration on new technology topics,” he concluded. Drones as a threat The potential use of drones in a terrorist incident, or attack against a critical infrastructure and soft targets is a growing concern for law enforcement as the availability of drone technology becomes more widespread globally. As drones become less expensive and their potential applications continue to expand, it is expected that countries will witness an increase and evolution of this threat. Recent examples include terrorist groups using drones in surveillance activities and delivering chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive materials in conflict zones, and an environmental group which repurposed a hobby drone to enter the secure airspace of a nuclear site and crash into a building highlighted the current reality of the threat posed by the illicit use of drones. In this respect, experts from the FBI, NATO, the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate, national police agencies and the private sector underscored the need for a coordinated global law enforcement response which combines the expertise and developments made by various countries, military agencies and private industry to counter the threats posed by the nefarious use of drones. “The rising threat of terrorist groups using drones to attack critical infrastructure and soft targets has created a pressing need for the global law enforcement community to exchange information and share best practices. INTERPOL is committed to assisting its member countries protect their critical infrastructure by raising awareness, sharing best practices and facilitating information exchange on terrorist incidents involving drones,” said INTERPOL’s Director of Counter Terrorism, Patrick Stevens. A tool for police While drones can be dangerous in the wrong hands, they are also a valuable tool for law enforcement. Participants heard how drones can be used by police to reconstruct a crime scene by using a drone to take pictures of the site from all angles, then feeding the data into a 3D printer. Drones can also be used by law enforcement to conduct surveillance, assist with traffic accident investigations, survey natural disaster sites and more. The conversion of drones and artificial intelligence (AI) technology offers additional benefits to enhance current police capabilities, from increasing officer safety and productivity to livestreaming of incidents. A source of evidence Drones can also be a significant source of evidence to support investigations and prosecutions. Analysis of digital data such as speed, height, GPS coordinates and flight records can reveal information about the criminals involved, while physical data such as fingerprints and DNA can also be present. Through further development of these capabilities, INTERPOL seeks to support member countries in increasing information sharing on drone incidents and developing their abilities to conduct effective forensic examinations of seized drones. “Different countries view drone technology in different ways – some define drones as a weapon, while others categorize them similarly to airplanes. On top of that, police are starting to use drones as a tool in their daily operational work,” said Anita Hazenberg, Director of the INTERPOL Innovation Centre, “This conference has helped to bridge these different perceptions, identify similarities and exchange best practices amongst the global community on how to simultaneously address drones as a threat, tool and source of evidence in police investigations.” The conference builds upon the outcomes of INTERPOL’s Drone Working Group meetings in late 2017 and early 2018, which laid the foundation for the gathering of knowledge on the challenges and opportunities drones pose for the law enforcement community. Police innovation and technology will also be high on the agenda of the INTERPOL General Assembly session in Dubai in November.

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Matrix Secures National Referral Hospital Bhutan Secured

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India03 mins

The Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital is one of the top most renowned institutions in Bhutan delivering healthcare services. The hospital caters to the population of Thimphu and neighboring districts. The hospital also functions as the regional referral hospital for the western district, district hospital for Thimphu, human resources pool and technical backup for district hospitals, clinical training centre for the royal institute of health sciences (RIHS), and technical support to the public health programs. Challenges As the hospital works round the clock, one of the major concerns was to manage complex shifts of employees. Elevator which only users with access rights can call was another challenge. Furthermore, the customer also wanted a solution, whereby the admin could assign entry and exit points for patients, visitors and employees. Lastly, the management wanted to restrict visitor entry to a pre-defined time and rooms of the hospital for better visitor management. Solution Matrix pitched its access control, time-attendance and visitor management solution along with the different variants of biometric devices, which fulfill every requirement of the hospital. Around 206 devices were installed in the hospital, which are used in controlling access at rooms and elevators. They were installed at the main entrance, ward rooms, server rooms, outside elevators, and at ramps on every floor, to restrict access. So, there is no individual in the building who is not enrolled in the system. Through this, the hospital could manage multiple shifts of employees as well. Approximately, 700 visitor profiles were created with constrained time to visit, limited rooms to enter and a pre-defined route of access. Also, crowd at the elevator was controlled by restricting the use to only users with elevator access rights. Results JDWNRH fulfilled its requirement with Matrix people mobility management solution and achieved the following results: Simplified security by restricting unauthorized entry. Reduced complexity of shifts. Crowd controlling through elevator access control. Time and zone-based entry restrictions for visitors and patients.

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Hikvision Participates in FSAI Seminar

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India04 mins

Hikvision participated in the recently held one day seminar organized by Fire & Security Association of India (FSAI) on the theme ‘Hospitality and Banking Security Challenges’ at the Lalit, Mumbai. Prabhat Rahangdale, Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, and Director – Maharashtra Fire Service was the chief guest at the seminar. Special guest of the event, Maroof Raza, who is the strategic affairs expert on hospitality and banking security challenges delivered the pivotal speech. At the event Hikvision pledged its support for FSAI girls’ schools security initiative where by it will provide CCTV cameras and NVRs to the girls’ schools. The lighting of the lamp ceremony was conducted by Suresh Menon, National Secretary – FSAI; Mahroof Raza; K.P. Dominic, National President, FSAI; Pankaj Dharkar, International President, FSAI: Ashwin Ijantkar, Mumbai Chapter President, FSAI; and Jitu Mahnot, Mumbai Chapter Secretary, FSAI. “We at Hikvision have the latest AI enabled solutions, which can help resolve most of the banking security challenges. Deep learning technology has empowered the face recognition solutions and banks can apply it for enhancing bank security and business intelligence functions. The advanced video analytics can be used to enhance the customer experience by identifying the VIP customer as he steps inside the bank,” said Ashish P. Dhakan, MD & CEO, Prama Hikvision India Pvt. Ltd., “We thank FSAI for organizing a seminar with thought provoking discussions on the hospitality and banking security challenges. We had a good platform to exchange ideas with some of the leading consultants and stakeholders.” He was speaking while participating in a panel discussion on security in banking industry moderated by Pramoud Rao, MD, ZICOM Electronic Security Systems. The other key panellists were Rahul Yadav – ICICI Bank, Ajit Kulkarni – IDFC Bank, Vinayak Sane, Principal Consultant – Elmark Engineers, Sandesh Kaup, Country Manager – Allied Telesis, Gautam Goradia – Hayagriva Software, and Hariom Sharma – Solus Security Systems. The panel discussion on the security in hospitality industry was moderated by Puneet Garkhel, PwC. The esteemed panel included Manish Kar (ITC, Mumbai), Rajkishore Mahto (Hyatt), Deepankar Chaudhary (Catterpillar), Anup Pimple (Magnetic Auto Control India), Kalpesh Khania – Milestone Systems, Vishwanath Kulkarni (HID), and Ravinder Pal. At the event a special book was released on the draft CCTV codes and standards by Pankaj Dharkar, Suresh Menon, Mahroof Raza, K.P. Dominic and Garry Singh, President IIRIS and Chairman – FSAI Security Committee.

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Axis Solutions Day 2018

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India08 mins

At recently held Axis Solutions Day 2018, Axis Communications, shared implementation details of their large-scale community CCTV Nenu Saitham project in Hyderabad City. The annual event showcased their integrated smart solutions in IP audio, retail suite and thermal cameras. Centered on the theme, The Future in Integrated Security Solutions, the event brought to fore Axis’ recent India success stories and their key takeaways from prestigious surveillance implementations across the country including the Mysore City Palace project. The Government of Telangana has been proactive in adopting a one-of-its kind smart surveillance implementation. With this community CCTV programme, the Hyderabad City Police is encouraging enterprises, public sectors, residential associations and individuals to invest in CCTVs procured from government empaneled firms. They will then setup a monitoring centre in their own colonies which in turn can be integrated with the nearest police stations and the central command center. This will track, monitor and analyse the video feed for detecting criminal activities, traffic violations and road conditions in real time. According to the project, an entity or individual can buy a CCTV system that will cover the premise entry, exit and parking areas to the extent of 50 yards on the road, along with storage and video screen for self-monitoring within the colony. The Government of Telangana will provide the back-end connectivity to the police stations, command control centre along with real-time video analytics. “Axis carries a rich lineage of over 35 years in India and during this time, we have understood the pulse of the India market. With an estimated budget of ₹2.09 lakh crores for smart city programmes by the Government, we are upbeat that high-end surveillance solutions are the need of the hour.” -Sudhindra Holla Sales Director – India and SAARC, Axis Communications Mahender Reddy, the Director General of Hyderabad Police asserted, “The impact of CCTV installations in Hyderabad City police jurisdiction has been astounding, leading to a huge reduction in overall crime rate by 32% in the last three years (2014-17) and reduction of 90.6% in chain-snatchings incidents during this period. Additionally, the Govt of Telangana is planning to install 15 lakh cameras across the state in the next three years.” Highlighting the efforts that led to the success of the Hyderabad implementation, Sudhindra Holla, Sales Director – India and SAARC, Axis Communications said, “We are proud to be a partner of choice for the Hyderabad community CCTV project. This is an example of community participation towards building a safer and secured smart city. We have 1,500 camera installations across the city to track, monitor and analyze the video feed for detecting criminal activities, traffic violations, and road conditions. With our strong portfolio of product line-up, we aim to support the authorities to deliver high surveillance and build a model smart city and eagerly look forward to the phase two implementation.” Speaking on the Mysore Palace implementation, Sudhindra emphasized, “The project was challenging as the site continued to operate even during the installation. Mysore Palace, being one of the most visited heritage sites of India, we had to ensure that the work was seamless with minimum disruption. We also had to create a multi-point wireless network to ensure the infrastructure had the ability to support new cameras as well as the management software across the area for crowd and queue management.” Axis ‘Smart’ security implementation not only provides a better quality of life with clean and sustainable environment, but also promises a safer city. Some of the major smart city implementations include Aurangabad, Bhavnagar, Kolhapur and Junagadh. In the retail and hospitality segments Axis smart implementation includes Café Coffee Day and Novotel Goa Shrem Hotels, respectively. One of the prominent installations in the education segment is Dayalbagh Educational Institute. Video surveillance has seen a paradigm shift in India with security becoming a priority for both the Government and enterprises. With an increase in the number of cyber-attacks which exposes vulnerabilities, dealing with well-resourced cybercriminals becomes a challenge. If left unaddressed, these could lead to networks being breached, ransomware to be planted or, be responsible for costly downtime. The answer is to be proactive and systematic for ensuring that patches are implemented as soon as they are available. Recording high-resolution videos with in-built compression is what today’s IP video surveillance capable of. There are multiple benefits of using IP-based surveillance to provide efficient security in the smart cities arena, like video analytics, environmental sensors, and support in law enforcement for departments to gather evidence during investigations. Further integrated, with IP Audio, it can be used to make scheduled or live announcements, and to track security violation in manufacturing/ industrial sites. On the other hand, thermal cameras using thermal imaging and enhanced low-light capabilities have taken the smart surveillance a step ahead. With built-in analytics, such as Video Motion Detection helps detect motion from moving objects within a predefined area, these intelligent solutions are useful for environments where privacy is of utmost importance like – schools and care homes.  

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Private Security Industry Conclave (PSIC) 2018

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India011 mins

The private security industry is a crucial component of security and safety which is responsible for protecting not only critical infrastructure systems but also intellectual property and sensitive corporate information. Business establishments rely heavily on private security for a wide range of functions including protecting employees and property, site security, cash logistics operations, conducting investigations, providing information technology security, and many other functions. FICCI has recently organized the sixth edition of Private Security Industry Conclave (PSIC) 2018 with an objective to bring together experts from the government, industry, controlling authorities, user agencies and other stakeholders to discuss and debate various policy and regulatory issues concerning the private security industry. The theme of the event was ‘Job Creation and Skill Development in the Private Security Sector.’ The PSIC 2018 was inaugurated by Shiv Pratap Shukla, Minister of State for Finance, GoI, who also released a FICCI-BDO report on ‘Private Security Industry: Job Creation and Skill Development,’ which dwells upon the skill development and jobs creation, policy issues, GST implication and its impact, shift from the unorganised to organised sector, and the need of integration of manpower and technology. Cmdr. Gautam Nanda (Retd.), Associate Partner, BDO India, the knowledge partner for the conclave, gave an overview of the industry, underlining the vital roles of PSI in skill development and job creation. He said that the industry was the largest employer with 8.9 million personnel with a potential to employ 3.1 million more by 2022. The estimated market size of the industry was Rs.57,000 crore and was expected to rise to Rs.1.5 lakh crore by 2022. Goods & Services Tax Issue Amongst various others, the issue of Goods and Services Tax (GST) imposition on the private security industry was strongly raised on the forum. The FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry sought relief in GST for PSI and put forth three options to resolve the issue. Impose GST only on the service charge, not on total invoice value (18% GST on 10% of invoice value): Private security sector operates on a cost plus pricing model. Bases for the calculation of per head cost are the applicable minimum wage, and statutory obligations like PF, ESIC, leave, bonus, gratuity etc. The agencies charge 10% or less as their service charge on above mentioned cost structure. Therefore, charging GST on invoice value results in taxing statutory payments. With the payment cycle of 90-180 days, this leads to significant cash flow pressure and even risk of default on statutory compliances. Charging GST on 10% of invoice value would not only enhance compliance but also ease pressure on thousands of MSME entities in private security sector Shift obligation to discharge GST to the recipient of service: Shifting of GST compliance obligation from PSAs to the service users would significantly ease cash flow pressure and risk of default under high interest burden. The change will also lead to timely GST compliance and eliminate possibility of leakage of revenue for the government. Reduce GST rate from 18% to 5%: Private security has emerged as an essential service to support the government machinery in homeland security activities. With reduction in the GST tax rate from 18% to 5%, pressure from customers on manpower reduction is likely to ease significantly resulting in job protection for private security guards. Lower GST rate is also likely to boost volume of work orders, thereby paving the way for demand expansion and resultant increase in skill development activities, as well as employment generation by private security sector. The minister assured that the Finance Ministry is actively considering FICCI’s recommendations to reduce the GST rate to minimise its impact on the industry and capitalise on its job-creation potential. He said that the government acknowledges the contributions of the private security industry in creating jobs for the poor, ex-servicemen and those who have migrated from villages, and promised that he would do the best possible to reduce the tax. He invited a FICCI delegation to his office to discuss and take the matter further. Rituraj Sinha, Chair of the FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry pointed out that based on the Committee’s discussions with the Finance Minister and the MoS for Finance, there is a conviction and genuine intent on the part of the government to give GST relief to the industry. Such relief would greatly benefit the small players who have to bear the burden of interest costs, as they have to borrow to deposit GST in advance. The Co-Chair of FICCI Committee on PSI & Chairman, Peregrine Guarding, Maj. Manjit Rajain (Retd.) also expressed optimism towards the serious inclination on the part of the government to give GST relief to PSI. Skill Development & RPL issue At the forum of PSIC 2018, seventeen MoUs were signed between the Management and Entrepreneurship & Professional Skills Council (MEPSC) and private security companies to impart training to over 3.17 lakhs security guards under the government’s ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ (RPL) scheme. Addressing the gathering of security professionals Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GoI, said that skilling of manpower is critical for private security industry which is growing at an annual rate of 20-25 per cent. The industry must partner with the government in skilling, reskilling and upskilling of the workforce in order to meet the challenges of new RPL 4.0. He further said that there is a need to make the economy more formal. In other developed countries, skilling, reskilling and upskilling are the jobs of the industry, and the respective governments undergo partnership with the private sector for this purpose. Government of India has shown conviction in the industry and hence has changed the policy to RPL 4.0. There is a need to increase the employable workforce in the country and bring them under the skilling ecosystem. On the occasion, the Minister also felicitated controlling authority of NCT of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the best practices in the proper enforcement and implementation of PSARA under various categories. Himachal Pradesh was given the…

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Interview of Rituraj Sinha during PSIC 2018

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India011 mins

 – Rituraj Sinha The Chair of FICCI Committee on Private Security Industry SecurityLink India (SLI): What are the achievements of FICCI’s Committee on Private Security Industry over past 6 years apropos addressing the industry issues? Rituraj Sinha: FICCI Private Security Industry Committee has worked relentlessly over the last 6 years to highlight policy challenges that the private security sector has been facing. The Committee has engaged at regular intervals with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and the Ministry of Finance to create enabling policy framework for the growth of the security sector. Our annual industry events have also met with great success and helped highlight the issues of the industry amongst stakeholders. SLI: What has been the success rate of the issues raised by the FICCI Committee to the government authorities? Rituraj Sinha: FICCI Private Security Industry Committee could claim some degree of contributions in terms of securing re-categorization of the security workers as skilled workers under the Minimum Wages Act; notification of model rules for cash management operations under Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act; reduction of GST rate on the fire and electronic equipment from 28% to 18%, amongst others. SLI: What are the impacts of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the private security industry and what steps has the Committee taken to assuage it? Rituraj Sinha: By and large, the security industry welcomes one nation one tax policy introduced by the Government of India. Even before the introduction of GST, the private security industry was largely compliant with Service Tax. We believe that the real issue with GST is the 18% slab rate. Security-as-a-service is a basic necessity, and it also has a very significant contribution in terms of job creation. As a matter of fact, it is supporting the government law enforcing agencies in a meaningful way. Keeping all these aspects in view, the GST rate for security services should be reduced to 5% from the existing 18% slab. A lower tax rate shall not only boost demand and aid job creation but also reduce the working capital burden on the security companies caused by the GST compliance. SLI: What are the hindrances which are delaying the success on GST issue, even when the current Government believes that security is the basic necessity for the development of the economy? Rituraj Sinha: The FICCI Private Security Industry Committee has strived very hard to establish credibility with the policy makers. On the basis of several rounds of discussions that we have had with them, one can say with reasonable confidence that Ministry of Finance has this issue at hand. However, it would not be appropriate for anyone outside the government to forecast any such decisions related to the sector, and by when the decision will be taken. SLI: What are the scope and benefits of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme and how has it impacted/ benefitted the private security industry so far? Rituraj Sinha: Private Security Sector is amongst top 5 employment generating sector in the country. Training and retraining are essential components of the security services. Lacs of guards have been working in the sector for years and have acquired all the relevant skills to perform their duties to an acceptable standard. However, most of them remain uncertified thereby hampering their career growth prospects. The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme is a great initiative taken by the Government of India. It would bring dignity and career progression avenues to millions. At this Private Security Industry Conclave 2018, 17 small, medium and large companies executed MoU independently with the National Skill Development Council (NSDC) to certify over 3 lacs manpower under this scheme. SLI: This year, the PSIC forum has included the concept of ManTech collaboration. What is its scope for the industry? Rituraj Sinha: As the minimum wage escalates each year, the cost of security services has also been ramping up aggressively; and at the same time electronic security technology is getting better and cheaper. Customers’ inclination to adapt electronic security technology both for enhancing security apparatus, as well as for optimising loss is very natural. In the prevailing circumstances, it is essential for the private security companies to reinvent themselves from manpower providers to integrated security solution providers. At the current event, we discussed emerging trends in technology and we were pleased to have a very thought-provoking deliberation on ManTech at the event. SLI: What is your take on the PSAR Act in terms of its viability and effective implementation for the industry? Rituraj Sinha: The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act 2005 has given private security industry a level playing field. It has also provided us recognition in the eyes of the government agencies, media and public at large. However, in a vast country like India, the percolation of any central legislation down to the grass root level is a gradual process. Over the last several years, one has witnessed the structured approach adapted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to plug the loop holes and bring to fore the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act enforcement as an important agenda. We are hopeful that through greater engagements, PSAR Act enforcement across the country shall bring further tractions. SLI: The recent RBI notification towards minimum operating standards for conducting cash logistics activities is causing abrupt incompetence to a majority of existing players in the field who have been competent so far. How do you address the issue? Rituraj Sinha: We welcome the RBI guidelines for outsourcing of cash logistic operations. Over the last many years, incidents of internal fraud, looting and similar events have brought disrepute to the industry. This situation has prevailed because there was complete absence of minimum operating standards. Even as the Reserve Bank of India notification implementation will cause interim pain in terms of additional CAPEX and OPEX for the sector, this is in larger good for the industry, as well as for the country. SLI: What are…

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OnSSI Ocularis 5.6 VMS

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India04 mins

OnSSI continues to add powerful new capabilities and enhancements to its flagship video management software (VMS) platform with the release of Ocularis 5.6. This latest release enhances overall VMS performance and operator functionality, delivers heightened system security with fortified dual authentication measures, and provides enhanced mobile and web access capabilities. These latest improvements included in Ocularis 5.6 combine to further empower users with a best-in-class VMS solution and experience. “Software providers face the ongoing challenge of increasing user access and programming capabilities while simultaneously fortifying security measures to help prevent unauthorized access. This latest release of Ocularis accomplishes both objectives while improving overall workflows,” said Ken LaMarca, VP of Sales & Marketing, OnSSI. Ocularis 5.6 bolsters system security by allowing administrators to require dual operator authentication when logging-in, along with the ability to specify system permissions for Ocularis Client or Ocularis Web/ Mobile. Every login activity into Ocularis Client is also logged and auditable for documentation and compliance, where applicable. With the heightened security measures in place, Ocularis 5.6 also improves operator functionality. For example, operators can now create, edit, save and delete views directly from Ocularis Client, giving them the control and flexibility to create the specific views they need to best perform their roles and meet their security objectives while maximizing effectiveness and efficiency. The updated Ocularis Client also provides users with the ability to view camera names from any number of views that are listed. Additionally, the Client includes a new performance mode that allows larger views to be downscaled for improved bandwidth efficiency. Furthermore, Ocularis Client includes a database update to ‘Select All Feeds’ for exporting, as well as the added ability to select audio from a different source when exporting. Significant changes have been implemented for Ocularis Mobile as well, including the ability to display multiple cameras in live mode while also disabling the IOS idle timer to ensure continuous remote viewing. System administrators can also now designate which specific users and user groups can log in to Ocularis Mobile and Web to control access to video from outside the company network. Additionally, Ocularis Media Server has been further improved with architectural enhancements that improve overall performance, scalability and reliability. Ocularis 5.6 improves overall system resilience and performance in several ways. Master Core redundancy (failover) support has been automated, so if the Master Core is unavailable when a user logs in, the user will still be able to access video via a Slave Core. Added performance enhancements include smart camera drivers for Vivotek cameras, extended support for H.265, and extended two-way audio support.

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