New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday approved the setting up of an expert group to comprehensively address the issues of cyber crimes.

India with a fast growing economy is susceptible to international and domestic cyber attacks and there is a need to ensure cyber crime free environment. There has been almost 40 percent annual increase in cyber crimes registered in the country during the past 2-3 years, an official statement said.

The group would have five members and consist of academicians and professionals of repute to prepare a road map for effectively tackling the cyber crimes in the country and give suitable recommendations on all facets of cyber crime, it added.

It would also recommend possible partnerships with public and private sector, NGOs, international bodies and NGOs, the statement said.

The members of the group are Rajat Moona, director general, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Pune; Professor Krishnan, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Gulshan Rai, director general Cert-In; Manindra Aggarwal, professor Computer Science, IIT, Kanpur; and D. Dass, professor IIIT, Bengaluru.

Kumar Alok, joint secretary (Centre State), in the Ministry of Home Affairs, will be the convenor.