I&B Ministry
Mock auctions extended by a day to accommodate Sun Group FM bidders
NEW DELHI: Even as the e-auction for the first batch of bidders for FM Phase III is to commence on 27 July, the Government held three rounds of mock auctions instead of the originally announced two.
The mock auctions while earlier were slated for 22 and 23 July, were extended by one more day to 24 July.
Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry sources told Indiantelevision.com that the mock exercise had been extended in the light of the Delhi High Court order of 22 July with regard to Red FM for taking part in the auctions and the Madras High Court order of 23 July with regard to Kal Radio-run Suryan FM to take part in the e-auctions.
C1 India Pvt. Ltd is serving as the e-auctioneer and auction adviser to the I&B Ministry, who arranged the training of pre-qualified bidders for the first batch of private FM radio Phase III on 17 July, 2015. The training was held in two batches on the same day, at National Media Centre in New Delhi.
A total of 28 applicants had applied for the e-auction of 135 private FM radio channels for the first batch of the Phase III expansion plan. The 28 applicants had cumulatively submitted Rs 316.91 crore as earnest money deposit by 27 March, 2015, which was the deadline for the application process.
Meanwhile the petition related to participation Red FM in the FM Phase III auction will be heard by the Supreme Court on 25 July.
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.
