Panic button in mobile phones will be a game changer on women's security: Maneka Gandhi

New Delhi: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi believes that the government's decision to make it mandatory for the cell phone manufacturers to sell mobile phones with an additional feature – panic button – will be a game changer in dealing with issues like women's security.

I'm very happy about it, it's a game changer, Maneka Gandhi said while referring to Cemtre's decision on panic button in mobiles.

Giving more information, the minister said, “We are also working on an app through which this button will alert 10 people around you who are closest till the police comes.''

The reaction from the minister came shortly after the Centre announced that all mobile handsets sold in India from January 2017 will have to feature a panic button that will allow women in distress to seek help.  

In addition, from January 2018, all mobile phones must have an inbuilt GPS to identify the handset user's location, according to a notification of the Department of Telecommunications.

Maneka Gandhi had recently launched the 'Raksha app' and now the decision to make a "panic button" mandatory in the phones sold in India is expected to bolster women's safety in the country.