On April 14, 2026, Reliance Foundation and C-DAC (under MeitY) launched the 'e-SafeHER' cybersecurity awareness program. Anchored under the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project, the initiative aims to train one million rural women as "Cyber Sakhis" by 2029. Utilizing rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and localised content, the program empowers women to safely navigate digital financial transactions and essential services. The phased rollout will begin in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, marking a critical step toward building a digitally secure and inclusive rural India.
Reliance Foundation, in collaboration with C-DAC Hyderabad, launched 'e-SafeHER', a comprehensive cybersecurity awareness programme. This initiative is designed to train and equip one million rural women as 'Cyber Sakhis' to safely navigate the digital ecosystem without falling prey to online crimes.
The partnership was officially announced on April 14, 2026. The initial phase of on-ground training will commence in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Odisha before systematically scaling to other rural regions across the country.
The initiative is a public-private collaboration involving the Reliance Foundation, C-DAC Hyderabad, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under its Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme.
As rural women increasingly adopt smartphones for digital banking and government schemes, they become prime targets for cyber fraud. e-SafeHER ensures that digital inclusion is matched with digital security, bridging the gender-based digital divide and fostering a "Cyber Secure Bharat".
The ISEA project was originally conceptualized by MeitY in 2005 to build institutional capacity and mass awareness in cybersecurity. The broader push for rural connectivity accelerated significantly with the launch of the Digital India mission in 2015.
The government previously pushed mass digital inclusion via the PMGDISHA (Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan) scheme. Simultaneously, various CSR initiatives have sought to provide smartphones to women, making cyber hygiene the necessary next step.
C-DAC is a premier national R&D organization established in 1988 to develop indigenous supercomputing capabilities (PARAM series). Cybercrimes and data protection in India are legally governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The initiative targets reaching one million women by 2029. The behavioural data and localized training insights gathered will guide future national policy integration, embedding cyber hygiene deeply into rural empowerment frameworks.
Core Concept: C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing)
Q1. The 'e-SafeHER' initiative is anchored under which specific programme of the Government of India?
A) PM e-Vidya
B) Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA)
C) Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)
D) Cyber Swachhta Kendra
Answer: B
Explanation: e-SafeHER is anchored under MeitY's ISEA programme, which provides the curriculum and knowledge framework for the cybersecurity training.
Q2. Who are the primary beneficiaries termed as "Cyber Sakhis" under the e-SafeHER initiative?
A) Female IT professionals in urban tech parks
B) Rural women trained in cybersecurity awareness
C) Women serving in the Central Armed Police Forces
D) Female teachers in government schools
Answer: B
Explanation: Cyber Sakhis are rural women who receive training to navigate the digital ecosystem safely and act as peer educators within their communities.
Q3. Which two states will witness the initial phased rollout of the e-SafeHER training programme?
A) Gujarat and Rajasthan
B) Maharashtra and Karnataka
C) Madhya Pradesh and Odisha
D) Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
Answer: C
Explanation: The initiative begins its localized training for Cyber Sakhis in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha before scaling pan-India.
Q4. Which organisation partnered with Reliance Foundation to launch the e-SafeHER initiative?
A) NITI Aayog
B) National Informatics Centre (NIC)
C) Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
D) Data Security Council of India (DSCI)
Answer: C
Explanation: Reliance Foundation collaborated strategically with C-DAC Hyderabad to leverage its technical expertise in cybersecurity content.
Q5. What is the target number of rural women the e-SafeHER initiative aims to empower by 2029?
A) 100,000
B) 500,000
C) 1 million
D) 5 million
Answer: C
Explanation: The initiative has a stated goal to scale up and empower one million Cyber Sakhis in rural India by the year 2029.
Q6. Which grassroots network is primarily being utilised to deliver the e-SafeHER training in villages?
A) Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)
B) Women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
C) Anganwadi Centres
D) Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
Answer: B
Explanation: The training adopts a community-based model, working specifically through women's Self-Help Groups to ensure peer-led learning.
PYQ 1: With reference to the 'e-SafeHER' initiative, consider the following statements:
1. It is launched exclusively by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to distribute free smartphones.
2. It utilizes women's Self-Help Groups to spread cybersecurity awareness in rural areas.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: Only 2 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect because it is a joint initiative by Reliance Foundation and C-DAC (under MeitY) focused on cybersecurity training, not hardware distribution.
PYQ 2:
Assertion (A): Initiatives like e-SafeHER prioritize localised, audio-visual content for cybersecurity training.
Reason (R): High levels of digital illiteracy and language barriers in rural India hinder the effectiveness of standard, text-heavy English cyber hygiene materials.
Answer: Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A. Localised content ensures that complex tech concepts are easily grasped by rural participants.
Question: "The true success of the Digital India mission depends on securing the last-mile user against cyber threats." In light of this statement, evaluate the significance of public-private partnerships like the 'e-SafeHER' initiative. (250 words)
For GS Paper 2 (Governance) and GS Paper 3 (Cybersecurity), the use of "Self-Help Groups" (SHGs) for technology dissemination is a powerful point to write in Mains. For Prelims, memorise the executing bodies (C-DAC, Reliance Foundation), the parent ministry (MeitY), and the initial target states (Madhya Pradesh and Odisha).
e-SafeHER, Reliance Foundation, C-DAC, MeitY, ISEA Programme, Cyber Sakhis, Cybersecurity, Women Empowerment, Digital India, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Madhya Pradesh, Odisha.