Women's helplines to be merged: Smriti Irani

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 15

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani today held a meeting with top 100 districts with the highest crimes against women and children and 112 aspirational districts and decided that the twin women's helplines -- 112 (emergency) and 181 (non emergency) be merged for better response.

Irani also said that child helpline 1098 would soon see the state as the first interface rather than an NGO.

The minister added that an audit had been ordered to determine how many police stations in the country do not yet have sexual assault evidence kits.

"Plans are underway to ensure all police stations have forensic kits needed to collect evidence. We are also examining possibilities of designing digital one stop centres. The idea came up today," she said.

Asked how women's helplines would be merged, Secretary, WCD Ministry Ram MOhan Mishra said, "Women will be able to dial both helplines but both will be integrated to improve response time. Likewise,  child helpline 1098 would see the first interface with a government system in view of data sensitivity issues."

So far, NGO Childline has been manning 1098.