Govt moots SOS option in mobile, and GPS, CCTV in buses to enhance women's safety

Move comes on the irst death anniversary of Delhi gang-rape victim

On the first death anniversary of Delhi gang-rape victim, the government today said it would ask mobile phone companies to introduce an SOS button in all handsets and put Global Position System (GPS) in public transport vehicles to enhance safety and security of women in the country. 

 

Finance Minister P Chidambaram said three proposals have been given in-principal approval to utilise the resources under Rs 1,000 crore Nirbhaya Fund announced in last Budget. Cabinet will soon consider these proposals by home affairs ministry, road transport and highways ministry and railway ministry. 

 

Home ministry has proposed integration of the police administration with the mobile phone network to trace and respond to distress calls with minimum response time. The scheme will be launched in 157 cities in two phases and the expected outlay is Rs 1,000 crore. 

 

“Instructions will be issued by the Ministry of Information Technology to all mobile phone manufacturers to introduce, mandatorily, an SOS alert button in all the handsets. Manufacturers will also be instructed to launch SOS alert system in the existing handsets through free downloading of suitable software,” Chidambaram told reporters today.  

 

IT ministry has already initiated two projects in this context. The first provides a complete eco-system for assisting women in distress and is being implemented at Jaipur Police Control Room. The second is being implemented by IIT, Delhi for development of personal security device in form of a wrist watch.

 

Roads ministry has proposed a scheme with an expected outlay of Rs 1,700 crore covering 32 towns each with population of over one million to be implemented over two years. Under the scheme, public transport vehicles will compulsorily have GPS, CCTVs and passenger information systems. On-board GPS unit will be a necessary condition for giving permit. The expected outlay is about Rs.1700 crore. 

 

The railway ministry is working on a pilot scheme of setting up an SOS alert system in trains in select zones. The facility will cover all the service providers from all the telecom circles.

 

The finance minister said the corpus of the fund is expected to be enhanced from time to time.