1. About this Cookie policy
This Cookie Policy (“Policy”) explains how Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (“SMFCL”) in connection with the Interest Incentivization Fund (IIF) portal ("the Portal") uses cookies and similar technologies when you access, browse, register on, or use the Portal, including when you access the Portal in the capacity of a borrower, lender, SMFCL officer, administrator or Ministry user.
The Portal uses only cookies that are strictly necessary for its operation, security, authentication, and the provision of services requested by you. The Portal does not currently use optional cookies for advertising, marketing, analytics, profiling, or behavioural tracking.
By accessing or continuing to use the Portal, you acknowledge the use of strictly necessary the cookies as described in this Policy. Since the Portal does not use optional cookies there is currently no optional cookie category requiring a consent or preference management mechanism.
This Policy should be read together with the Portal's Privacy Policy and other applicable terms and policies.
2. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text file or similar piece of information stored on, or associated with, your browser or device when you access a website. Cookies enable a website to recognise a particular browser or device and to retain information necessary for the website to function properly.
Cookies may, among other things, enable user authentication, maintain a secure session, protect forms and requests from unauthorised or fraudulent activity (the Portal's anti-forgery token is kept in the server-side session, not in a separate cookie), and support the proper functioning of the Portal.
3. Cookies Used by the Portal
The Portal uses only strictly necessary, first-party cookies. These cookies are essential for the Portal to provide its core functionality. If such cookies are disabled, blocked, or deleted, certain Portal functionalities, including authentication, form submission, and security checks may not operate correctly.
| Cookie | Purpose | Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
laravel-session | Maintains your authenticated session and associates requests made during your visit with the relevant server-side session. The cookie contains only a randomly generated session identifier. Session-related information, including the login CAPTCHA response where applicable, is maintained on the SMFCL server and is not stored in a separate cookie | Strictly necessary, first-party | Up to 15 minutes of inactivity and at most 8 hours in total; removed when you sign out or close the browser, subject to the Portal's session-management configuration. |
locale | Remembers the language you chose for the Portal (English or Hindi). It does not identify you and is not used for tracking. | Strictly necessary (preference), first-party | Up to 1 year, or until you clear your browser cookies. |
The session cookie is configured with appropriate security attributes, including HttpOnly (scripts on the page cannot read it) and SameSite=Lax. The Secure attribute is applied when the Portal is accessed over HTTPS.
SMFCL may modify the name, configuration, security attributes, or technical implementation of cookies where reasonably necessary to maintain or improve the Portal's functionality, security, or compliance with applicable law. Any material change to the cookies used by the Portal will be reflected in an updated version of this Policy, where appropriate.
4. Cookies and Technologies We Do Not Use
The Portal does not currently use cookies for:
- Advertising or targeted advertising,
- Marketing or cross-site behavioural tracking;
- Social-media tracking cookies.
- Third-party analytics or audience measurement;
- Profiling cookies or behavioural advertising;
- Maintaining a "remember me" or persistent login facility; or
- Selling, or otherwise providing cookie information to advertisers for their own marketing or advertising purposes.
- The Portal requires users to authenticate again when their applicable session expires.
5. Third-party Services and content
Certain Portal pages may incorporate or request resources or services provided by third parties, including, where applicable, hosted web fonts, address or PIN-code lookup services, or other technical services required for particular Portal functionality.
SMFCL does not intentionally set the cookies described in Section 3 through such third-party services. However, when your browser directly connects to a third-party service, that service may receive certain technical information associated with the request, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, or other information ordinarily transmitted as part of an internet request.
The collection and use of information by such third parties is governed by their respective terms, privacy policies, and applicable laws. You should review the relevant third-party policies where appropriate.
SMFCL does not represent that it controls the privacy practices, security measures, or data-processing activities of third-party service providers that operate independently of SMFCL.
6. Managing cookies
You can view, manage, block or delete cookies in your browser settings. However, because the Portal uses only strictly necessary cookies, disabling or deleting such cookies may prevent you from sign in, maintaining an authenticated session or submitting forms or accessing certain portal functionality and due to deletion of these cookies may also end your current session. Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies / Site settings.
- Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions.
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data.
- Apple Safari: Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.
Browser interfaces and settings may change from time to time. Please refer to your browser provider's current documentation for the most accurate instructions.
7. Cookies and Personal data
The cookies described in this Policy are not intended to contain directly entered personal information such as your name, PAN, GST number, or other similar identifying information.
The session cookie contains a randomly generated session identifier. Information associated with that identifier may be maintained on SMFCL's servers and may, depending on the Portal's operation, be associated with information relating to your use of the Portal.
Accordingly, the fact that a cookie does not itself contain your name or other directly identifying information does not necessarily mean that information associated with the cookie cannot constitute or be linked to personal data.
Personal data submitted, generated, or otherwise processed through the Portal is governed by the Portal's Privacy Policy and applicable law, including, as applicable, the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and rules, regulations, directions, and other applicable legal requirements as may be amended or replaced from time to time.
Nothing in this Cookie Policy limits or overrides any rights, obligations, or protections available under applicable law.
8. Changes to this Cookies policy
SMFCL may amend, modify, or update this Cookie Policy from time to time, including where
- the functionality or technical architecture of the Portal changes;
- the cookies or similar technologies used by the Portal change;
- applicable law, regulatory requirements, or governmental directions change; or
- changes are required to improve the security or functionality of the Portal.
- The "Last Updated" date displayed at the beginning of this Policy indicates the date on which this Policy was most recently revised.
- Where required by applicable law, material changes will be communicated through appropriate means.
- Where required by applicable law, material changes will be communicated through appropriate means.
9. Security
SMFCL implements reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect information processed through the Portal against unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
Cookie-related security controls, including appropriate cookie attributes and session-management measures, are implemented having regard to the nature and purpose of the Portal and applicable security requirements.
However, no internet-based system, transmission, or method of electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Accordingly, SMFCL cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to or through the Portal.
10.Contact
If you have any questions, concerns or requests relating to this Cookie policy or use of the Cookies on the Portal, you may please contact SMFCL through the grievance redressal or helpdesk channel designated and published for the IIF scheme.
For matters concerning the processing of personal data, please refer to the Portal's Privacy Policy and the contact details specified therein.
11. Applicable Law, Severability and Saving
This Cookie Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. The use of the Portal and matters arising out of or in connection with this Policy shall be subject to applicable Indian laws, rules, regulations, notifications, circulars, directions, guidelines, orders and other applicable governmental or regulatory requirements, as amended, modified, substituted or re-enacted from time to time.
If any provision of this Cookie Policy is determined by any competent authority or court to be invalid, illegal, unlawful or unenforceable, whether in whole or in part, such provision shall, to the extent required, be severed or modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, lawful and enforceable. The remaining provisions of this Policy shall continue to remain valid, effective and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Nothing in this Cookie Policy shall be construed as limiting, restricting, waiving, extinguishing or otherwise prejudicing any right, power, authority, discretion, immunity, exemption, protection or remedy available to SMFCL under applicable law, the IIF Scheme, or any Government notification, guideline, direction, order or other applicable instrument.
Nothing in this Policy shall operate to exclude, restrict, modify or limit any right, obligation, liability, protection or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted, modified or limited under applicable law.
In the event of any inconsistency between this Cookie Policy and any applicable law, statutory or regulatory requirement, Government direction, or the terms governing the IIF Scheme, the applicable law, requirement, direction or governing instrument shall prevail to the extent of such inconsistency.