New Delhi: Communications and Electronics & IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in May launched the Sanchar Saathi portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in) with the aim to help millions of people track their lost or stolen mobile phones. With the help of this portal, users can also access their SIM card number and block it if anybody is found using the SIM through the owner’s ID.

In his remarks at the launch, Vaishnaw said that the three reforms -- CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register), know your mobile connections and ASTR (Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification) have been introduced.

The CEIR is for blocking stolen/lost mobiles while knowing your mobile connections is to know mobile connections registered in your name and the ASTR will help to identify fraudulent subscribers. The Minister said that various frauds such as identity theft, forged KYC, banking frauds can take place by misusing mobile phones. “This portal has been developed to prevent such frauds. User safety is also an important part of the draft Telecom bill,” he said.

“By using the Sanchar Saathi portal, more than 40 lakh fraudulent connections have been identified and more than 36 lakh such connections have been disconnected so far,” the minister added.