Mobile phones to be sold in India will come with dedicated panic button : Minister

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Government has mandated that mobile phones sold in India will come with a dedicated panic button that can be used by a person including females in distress. The Department of Telecommunications had issued a Gazette notification on  April 22, 2016, for inclusion of panic button in all new mobile phones handsets with effect from January 1, 2017. The implementation date was subsequently extended to February 28, 2017.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is implementing a project namely, Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) under Nirbhaya Fund scheme, with the objectives of providing a single number 112 based emergency support services, which could be accessed through panic button in mobile phone.

Emergency Response Centers in States/UTs will respond to distress calls through computer aided dispatch support system. The project has been devised in coordination with the Ministry of Women & Child Development under Nirbhaya Fund scheme. An all-India launch was requested by Ministry of Women and Child Development on November 28, 2018. Launch of ERSS is taking place State/Union Territorywise based on readiness of the State/ Union Territory. As on date, ERSS has commenced in the States of Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland in November & December, 2018 respectively. ERSS has an overlay of check mechanism in the system to prevent any misuse.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on February 6, 2019.