The Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, designate any organization of the Government as a nodal agency responsible for all measures including Research & Development relating to protection of Critical Information Infrastructure. Such agency shall be called as

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) National Nodal Agency.

Explanation

According to Section 70A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (as amended in 2008), the Central Government has the authority to designate a specific organization to protect the country's most vital digital assets.

• Statutory Provision: Section 70A(1) states that the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, designate any organization of the Government as the national nodal agency in respect of Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) Protection.
• Responsibilities: Under Section 70A(2), this agency is responsible for all measures, including Research and Development, relating to the protection of Critical Information Infrastructure.
• The Designated Body: In practice, the Government has notified the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) as this national nodal agency. It operates as a unit of the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).

Information Booster:

While the legal term used in the Act is "National Nodal Agency," the actual functional body is the NCIIPC.

What is Critical Information Infrastructure (CII)? The Act defines CII as those computer resources, the incapacitation or destruction of which would have a debilitating impact on:

1. National Security
2. Economy
3. Public Health
4. Public Safety

Identified Critical Sectors include:

• Power & Energy
• Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI)
• Telecom
• Transport
• Government
• Strategic & Public Enterprises