Identifying Mumbai's unsafe spots

Identifying Mumbai's unsafe spots

Santosh Andhale / DNA

December 28, 8:15 IST

http://www.dnaindia.com/mobile/report.php?n=1782078

Mumbai: A group of women, along with students, has started identifying spots/areas in the city that are unsafe for women.

They have selected five civic wards and they will 'map' the areas where crime against women mostly happen by organising a safety walk.

Five social organisations — Akshara Centre, Stri Mukti Sanghthana, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Aandolan, Mahila Vikas Parishad, and Parivartan Sansthan — have joined hands with students of 12 colleges to document such spots over the next three months.
Areas which have witnessed maximum instances of teasing or groping or molestation in other forms will be mapped. These organisations have come up with a host of reasons behind such incidents — poorly-lit roads that are also deserted, lack of police patrolling vans as well as police chowkies.

"We will take the help of 200 students from 12 city colleges to identify unsafe spots for women in the city," a source said. The safety walk will be organised in the G/south (Prabhadevi), F/south (Parel), G/North (Dadar), H/East (Bandra), and M/East (Chembur) and F/south (Parel) wards.

"Once the mapping is done, we will share our findings with the police and the civic authorities," said a member of one of the organisations. These five organisations are being headed by the Akshara Centre, an NGO working for the development of women.
"We will talk with women who face problems daily in these areas. The action plan will be submitted to the authorities," Nandita Shah, co-director of Akshara Centre, said.
The centre has also made a documentary to highlight and sensitise people

 

Saral Money debit cards launched

Saral Money debit cards launched

Saral Money, an innovative payment product which ensures that everyone with an Aadhar number automatically has an Aadhar-linked instant account in a bank, was launched by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday.

People would be able to purchase the Saral Money debit card across the counter from grocery shops and bank branches. It would facilitate instant account opening, simplified documentation and accessibility and reach.

The project has been launched in a collaboration by the UIDAI and five banks -- Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI, Indian Overseas Bank and the State Bank of India and Visa Card.

Under the scheme, an Aadhar number holder can purchase a card for a nominal fee to operate the account.

Ms. Dikshit said the new scheme would bring banking to the door step of the citizens. The Delhi Government, she said, has decided to implement cash transfer mode with the help of Aadhar numbers for its most ambitious food security programme, Delhi Annashri Yojna, which would be launched by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi here on December 15.

With Saral Money, the Government and other institutions would be able to send money to anyone using only an Aadhar number, irrespective of whether the beneficiary has a bank account. The beneficiary would then be able to withdraw the money from any ATM or any Micro ATM using biometric authentication provided by Aadhar.

UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani described the scheme as a truly innovative step. He said it would contribute substantially in making Delhi a role model in cash transfers.

Would enable Aadhar beneficiaries to have an instant bank account

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/saral-money-debit-cards-launched/article4194178.ece