The number 108 could soon become India's version of 911 -- the number the US dials for an emergency.
After negotiations for almost a year, telecom minister A Raja has indicated in a letter to health minister Anbumani Ramadoss last week that 108 is being finalized as the national toll-free trauma care number.
Confirming this, Ramadoss told TOI: "I have just received an official communication from Raja. I am optimistic that 108, which is currently being used by states individually as their emergency response number, will soon be made the national trauma care number."
Three states -- Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand -- are already using 108 as the emergency toll-free number. Three others -- Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and MP -- recently signed an MoU with the Emergency Management and Research Institute for this purpose. States like J&K, Assam and Kerala too are finalizing plans for designating 108 for all emergency purposes.
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