Dial 108: India's emergency response number has saved 1.5 mn lives so far

The service, currently available in 16 states and two union territories, employs 47,000 people and attends 80,000 calls daily

Our own version of 911, which attends calls for help on health, natural disasters or law-and-order emergencies, has been operational for the past 12 years. All that a distressed person has to do is to dial '108' on phone to have the situation addressed. This isn't currently a centralised service available all over India, but is offered in public-private partnership under an initiative of GVK-Emergency Medical Research Institute. 

The reach 

With 47,000 employees, the service is spread over 16 states and two union territories (Diu & Daman and Dadra-Nagar Haveli). A 24-hour helpline has been set up in each of