All phones to have panic button for women’s safety from March

NEW DELHI: Indian Women & Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has said that smartphone maker companies have agreed to install the feature in mobile handsets for emergencies by March, 2016.

The Central government’s Department of Telecommunications would issue a notification for the regulation soon.

"Every cell phone will have an in-built panic button. Now, all new cell phones will be made with panic buttons. But in case of all old cell phones, you can go to the person who owns the company or the dealer and they will adjust it for you. If a woman is in trouble, she can just press the button on the cell phone and she will immediately get help," the minister informed Lok Sabha members recently.

"It took us one year to finalize this initiative. We held several meetings with mobile companies and they have finally agreed to provide panic buttons in mobile phones," the Minister said.

The Minister also said that we have asked the companies to built at least 10,000 centers across the country to help add the button.