Source: Economic Times
Context: The Ministry of Women and Child Development in India has decided to integrate the women’s helpline and child helpline services with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) as part of the One Nation One Helpline vision.
More about the News:
- The Childline service, which provides emergency outreach services for children in crisis, will now be accessible by dialling a four-digit toll-free number (1098) that connects to the ERSS-112.
- The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has been entrusted with automating the child helpline (1098) and integrating it with the ERSS-112.
- The incoming calls to 1098 will be classified into emergency, non-emergency, and information calls, with emergency calls being forwarded to the ERSS-112.
Issues with the current service:
Previously, the Childline service was supported by the Child Protection Services (CPS) scheme through the Childline India Foundation (CIF) and its partner NGOs. However, the current system lacked interoperability with other emergency services, causing delays in responding to distress calls. Additionally, some districts were left uncovered by the Childline service.
Significance:
By integrating the child helpline with the ERSS-112, the government aims to improve the administration’s responsiveness and ensure seamless information flow for the repatriation and restoration of vulnerable children within and across districts and states.
