Srinagar, August 25, 2025: The Jammu and Kashmir Administration has enforced an immediate ban on USB and pen drives in all government offices to enhance cyber security and safeguard sensitive data. Issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) under Commissioner Secretary M Raju, the directive applies to the Civil Secretariat in Jammu and Srinagar, Deputy Commissioner offices, and all administrative units across the Union Territory. The move addresses risks of data breaches, malware, and unauthorized access, aligning with national cyber security protocols.In place of pen drives, the government mandates GovDrive, a secure cloud platform providing 50 GB of encrypted storage per official, with centralized access and device synchronization.
Exceptions for pen drive use require approval from the State Informatics Officer (SIO) at the National Informatics Centre (NIC), with approved devices reconfigured and registered, limited to 2–3 per department. The order also bans public platforms like WhatsApp and unsecured tools like iLovePDF for official documents, mandating secure channels per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and CERT-In guidelines.Non-compliance will face disciplinary action under IT and conduct rules, reinforcing the government’s focus on secure e-Governance. The ban supports “Green Governance” by reducing physical storage and promotes digital accountability through GovDrive’s multi-factor authentication and AI-driven analytics, ensuring a robust digital ecosystem for J&K.
