I&B Ministry
I&B ministry ‘open’ to FM radio channels airing ‘news’
NEW DELHI: This may be music to the ears of some of the private FM radio players.
The Indian government is “quite open” to the idea of allowing news on private fm radio but will look at “all aspects” before taking any decision, information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
“We are quite open to the idea, but we have to see all aspects”, Prasad said interacting with the media at the foreign correspondents club when asked as to how news and current affairs was permitted on private TV channels but not allowed on private FM radio.
Noting that a great radio revolution was about to happen in India, he said there was “scope for improvement” in the FM radio sector and pointed out that there were several radio stations in Colombo. He said government would look into the issues concerning fm radio before the second round of bidding.
Prasad said there were as many as 290 million listeners of all India radio.
Turning to TV, he said he was for self-regulation but expressed concern that “race for commerce was driving everything” and he was not getting the “desired response” even three months after becoming the minister.
Prasad said he was often faced with questions as to why there was no regulatory body for TV channels as there was press council for print media and censor board for films.
“I am all for freedom and creativity, but the creators of creativity should need to be responsive to the sensitivities of the people”, he said adding that a bottomline was necessary.
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.
