Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday launched a month-long statewide cybersecurity awareness campaign amid a sharp rise in cybercrime cases across Odisha.

The campaign will cover all districts except Nuapada, where the bypoll is scheduled for November 11. The programme aims to educate citizens about safe online practices, digital hygiene and preventive measures against financial fraud and data theft.

Launching the initiative at Kalinga Stadium, Majhi announced that 20 new cyber police stations will soon be established across the state. At the same time, the existing 14 will be modernised with upgraded infrastructure and digital forensics facilities.

“People today are increasingly dependent on digital systems for their daily lives. Nearly 82 crore people across the world use the internet, and as dependence on digital platforms grows, so does vulnerability to cyber fraud and online crimes,” Majhi said.

He added that the growing threat of cybercrime can be effectively tackled only through stronger cyber policing, enhanced public awareness and a robust digital security framework.

Majhi also announced the setting up of a state-level command centre under the crime branch, which will serve as a centre of excellence for cybercrime prevention and digital forensics. “The state government will soon recruit 1,127 new police personnel and 170 technical experts to strengthen the cybercrime investigation network,” he said.

As part of the campaign, the chief minister flagged off 16 specially designed awareness vehicles that will travel across the state for a month, spreading messages on cyber safety, responsible social media use, and protection from online scams.

Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja, director-general of police Y.B. Khurania and senior officials from the home and IT departments were present at the launch.