The Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has recently approved the provision for single number 112 for all emergency services such as the fire brigade, ambulance, disaster management and police. Also Government of India launched a statement in which they have given instruction to all cell phone manufacturers in India to include Panic Button in their new handsets.

From 1st of January 2017 it would be mandatory for a new phone to have a Panic Button into it apart from that companies have to introduce in-build GPS system in all their new phones that will be sold from 2018. Although the Indian government wanted these cell phone manufacturers to launch a new software to use this facility in existing phones as well, but companies are unable to do that and according to them it is not possible to give this facility in existing phones. However, The new phones have to have the Panic Button and all big shots of the market such as Apple, Samsung, LG etc. are agreed to it.

The movement we hear about the Panic Button, one question comes to our mind that where the emergency call will be connected because till now there is no specific number for such things. The government is planning to launch 112 as the first single emergency number in India where all distress calls will be connected. In order to make calls the person needs to press the Panic Button for a long time or press the power button thrice.

Alike the smart phones the Panic Button facility would be available on low-cost feature phones as well so that all kinds of people can get the benefit of it. Till now it’s not clear that which numeric key will be used as a Panic Button in feature phones. The user would be able to make an emergency call via Panic Button in the case of zero balance on the account and apart from an active SIM and a phone with Panic Button, nothing else is required.

It is true that prior to this panic button feature, many smartphone manufacturers have launched their phones with similar functionalities and many apps have also been introduced in the market. People who regularly use such apps have always found them helpful but there is one more fact that despite of having useful apps and helpline numbers, crime against women has increased in India in the past couple of years and most of time working women and students have become the target.

Many people believe that reason behind the less success of those services is the lack of quick response along with the slow performance of the police. Since the government is asking all cell phone companies to sell their phone with panic button in the near future, it is expected from the government to give proper back support for that number too.

If government assures girls and women that they will get immediate response then this panic number facility could be really beneficial for them. Finding the girl doesn’t seem to be impossible because most of the smartphones are GPS enabled which can be used to trace the girls location and apart from that IMEI number can be used to trace the location of a feature phone as well.

A girl in danger doesn’t get the time to find a number from the contact list and call someone, on the other side, it becomes difficult for the person to trace the location of that girl and till the time he calls the police, the phone of that girls gets switched off. The panic number can be dialled by pressing the power button which is comparatively easier, it would be toll-free so you have no need to worry if you are running out of balance. The call gets connected to the single emergency number directly from where location gets tracked and any sort of unfortunate incident can be avoided.