Women's safety device specifications next month: Prasad

Government next month will launch the standards for a safety device that will alert the police about location of women in distress at the touch of a button.
"We will launch standards for woman safety device next month," Telecom and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at Good Governance Day event organised by Department of Electronics and IT.
The technology has been developed by computing arm of DEITY, C-DAC alongwith some industry partners.
The standards for the product will be announced by the government and will be handed over to industry for manufacturing the device.
"With just touch of a button, a woman in distress will be able to alert police. The GPS in the phone will automatically turn on. The alert will go to nearest police station with location for immediate action," Prasad said.

The project to track missing children is also expected to be launched within a month.

The minister announced number of new schemes and initiatives undertaken three departments under ministry- DEITY, Department of Telecom and Department of Posts.
DEITY Secretary R S Sharma said the government will soon make available 'Digital Lockers' for people in which they will be able to store their certificates and move in to offices without attested copies.
"Soon we will have Digital Lockers that will do away the need for people carrying their certificates and run around for getting them attested. When government is issuing a certificate, be it marksheet or any other document, then why should another government institution ask for getting it attested," Sharma said.

People will have to just allow access of their documents on Digital Locker to concerned officer where they wish to apply for work.
Telecom Secretary Rakesh Garg said that e-governance has eased various processes including the tedious task of booking train tickets. Government is working on providing telecom connectivity in 55,000 villages so that people can have access to government services on the Internet.
"Government has approved two plans for providing telecom connectivity in unconnected villages, one in North East and other in Left Wing Extremist Affected area. We will be able to complete NE project in one-and-a-half years and LWE project by September," Garg said.

The Department of Posts launched new insurance scheme where an individual can opt for life cover of up to Rs 50 lakh. Earlier maximum cover offered under Postal Life Insurance was Rs 20 lakh.
Postal Board Member Anjali Devasher announced that India Post has also started pilot project with Snapdeal in Varanasi to connect local artisans with e-commerce.