29 crore calls handled by national emergency response helpline 112 so far

About 29 crore calls have been handled till now by the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) national helpline 112, officials said on Monday.

An initiative under the Nirbhaya funds, the ERSS is a pan-India single number for citizens in emergencies established across states and Union Territories last year.

According to Women and Child Development officials, the helpline has been made operational throughout the country and has till now handled 29 crore calls.

On Nirbhaya fund, established after the brutal gang-rape of a physiotherapy intern in Delhi in 2012, the officials said, 42 projects at the cost of Rs 12,000 have been earmarked in the last nine years.

Also, 25,000 officers have been trained in forensic evidence collection and analysis and 14,500 sexual assault evidence collection kits have been distributed, they said.

The fast track courts established for cases including rape and sexual assault have disposed 1.6 lakh cases.

The official also said that anti-human trafficking units have been made functional in all districts and 13,550 help desks have been established, the official added.