I&B Ministry
I&B ministry clears Space TV bid for DTH licence
NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: A little over a month after the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry issued a letter of intent (LoI) relating to the DTH licence sought by the Subhash Chandra-promoted ASC Enterprises, Space TV – backed by the Rupert Murdoch-controlled Star India – also had its file cleared.
As the first step towards okaying a DTH venture, the I&B ministry has to issue an LoI to the applicant, subsequent to which other parameters would have to be fulfilled. With the LoI in hand, Space TV can now officially go ahead with the work of putting together a DTH platform.
The LoI directs Space TV to deposit Rs 100 million, after which the other technical clearances would have to be obtained.
Before the final issuance of the DTH licence, it would have to be ensured that Star India’s holding in the company is not more than 20 per cent. As per government regulations, total foreign equity cap in a DTH venture in India is 49 per cent. According to industry estimates, a typical DTH venture would need investments worth between $ 400-500 million.
While there has been much speculation over who the Indian partner in Star’s DTH project will be, current indications are that it will be the blue-chip Tata Group.
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I&B Ministry
MeitY & Reliance Foundation launch e-SafeHER cyber training for Women
Programme aims to train one million rural women in cyber safety over three years
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has partnered with Reliance Foundation and C-DAC Hyderabad to launch ‘e-SafeHER’, a nationwide cyber security awareness programme aimed at empowering one million women across rural India.
Anchored under the Information Security Education and Awareness Programme, the initiative will focus on building digital confidence and safe online practices among women who are increasingly using digital platforms for financial transactions, livelihoods and essential services.
The programme will be rolled out through a community-led model, with training delivered via women’s self-help groups and grassroots networks. C-DAC Hyderabad will develop and localise training content, while Reliance Foundation will drive on-ground implementation using its rural outreach platforms.
Speaking on the launch, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology secretary S Krishnan said, “e-SafeHER is an exciting opportunity to bring together knowledge and collaboration to build a cyber secure Bharat. Through this initiative, women from even the remotest regions will be empowered to participate safely in the digital ecosystem.”
Echoing this, Reliance Foundation director Isha Ambani said the initiative aims to equip women with the skills needed to navigate the online world safely. She added that the goal is to enable one million “Cyber Sakhis” who can confidently adopt digital tools to improve their lives and livelihoods.
The programme will begin with pilot training in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, before scaling nationwide through a phased approach. It will use multilingual content, audio-visual modules and blended learning formats to ensure accessibility and engagement.
Designed for long-term impact, e-SafeHER will be integrated into existing digital literacy and women’s empowerment programmes, avoiding the need for parallel infrastructure. The initiative also aims to drive measurable behavioural change, from improved awareness of cyber risks to safer digital transactions.
By combining policy, technology and grassroots reach, the programme looks to bridge not just the digital divide, but the digital safety gap, ensuring that inclusion goes hand in hand with security.
