In layman terms, the word emergency can be explained as any sudden, unexpected crisis that requires immediate action. It is not that simple though as 'emergency' can be unkind that some of the time, preparedness to deal with any type of emergency may go for a toss.
Emergencies are tricky as it would not knock the door before it bangs, it is crucial not to become a victim instantly, but to be aware of what the least can be done next.
As a matter of fact, emergency services are like a backbone for any nation that prioritizes human welfare. India, the seventh-largest country in the globe (in terms of area) with 1.252 billion people, emergency services go hand-in-hand in the day to day progress of the nation.
Effective emergency services are not just for 'need of the hour', but it has to address the present and the unknown future! For a country that comes with the tag of 'second most populous' country in the world, India has a wide range of effective service providers for emergency situations.
In India, several states and central government-operated agencies and numerous private organizations exist exclusively for dealing with any type of emergencies as part of their responsibilities.
In addition, a lot of the above said agencies involve in creating awareness and conduct prevention programs to help the people cautious, avoid, observe, and report emergencies immediately. Let's have a look at some of the important emergency services in India.
Police in India
In India, the 29 states and 07 union territories have a state constabulary, led by the Director General of Police (DGP) or Commissioner of Police (state level) while the administrative head of the state is the Chief Minister.
The primary responsibility of the state police force is to effectively maintain law and order in districts, cities, towns and other urban areas and in rural areas throughout the state. The state constabularies are free standing and primarily differ in terms of the resources and gears.
Apart from the state police forces, important urban centers have their own constabulary known as Metropolitan Police which is almost standardized with state and union territory police forces except their appointments; for instance, Director General of Police is addressed as Commissioner of Police, in metropolitan police services.
To know about the list of police stations in some of the metropolitan cities of India, click below on the below links:
Fire Services in India
Fire prevention and fire services in India are primarily provided by the government agencies. Every state and union territory of India is equipped with a separate department for fire services.
Most of the state fire departments in the country come under the administrative ambit of the home department in that respected state. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also known as Home Ministry often provides suggestions to states and union territories on fire prevention, fire protection and fire legislation.
Did you know?
Uttar Pradesh has the largest fire service department in India, followed by the southern state of Tamil Nadu
The fire service departments in India are led by an IPS officer in the rank of director general and each state and union territory is generally divided into several fire divisions, depending on the area. Each fire division in a state and union territory is equipped with fire stations and is led by a divisional officer.
It is important to mention that Standing Fire Advisory Council (SFAC) formed by the home ministry is the supreme body of fire and safety experts consisted of chiefs of fire and rescue services of all states and union territories. The Standing Fire Advisory Council proposes diverse prospects of fire services to Govt. of India.
Also Read: Fire Services in Delhi | Fire Services in Surat | Fire Services in Chennai | Fire Services in Hyderabad | Fire Services in Bengaluru | Mumbai Fire Brigade
Ambulance Services in India
the police and fire and rescue services in India, Ambulance Services are offered to the population by both public and private health care facilities. Besides, every state and union territory has their own ambulance services offered by the local administration.
Prior to the year 2005, our country has no dedicated emergency service of the ambulance. It was government and private health care facilities who provided ambulance services to the people and that too not through a dedicated emergency helpline number.
Did you know?Back bone of the emergency services transportation system is - AMBULANCE
Today, India is equipped with GVK EMRI emergency response services, a public private partnership facility that responds to over 3 crore emergencies, all over the country. GVK EMRI extends Dial 108 ambulance services for free of cost to people who are in need of help.
The emergency service company has a strong presence across Andhra Pradesh, Daman & Diu, Telangana, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya.
With a huge fleet of well-equipped ambulances, GVK EMRI transport patients from the emergency site to the closest possible health care facility. The primary focus of the emergency service provider is to reach the site of emergency at he earliest, providing pre-hospital care whenever required and reaching the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Always remember to Dial 108 to save a life!
Also Read: Ambulance Services in Delhi | Ambulance Services in Ahmedabad | Ambulance Services in Surat | Ambulance Services in Hyderabad | Ambulance Services in Bengaluru | Ambulance Services in Kolkata
Furthermore, many private healthcare facilities have introduced the relatively new concept of air ambulance services in India.
Air ambulance services primarily provide medical assistance in emergency situations where regular ambulances cannot reach. Besides, air ambulances come equipped with most advanced medical facilities that can be likened to the ICU of a health care facility.
National Disaster Management in India
The National Disaster Management Authority popularly abbreviated as NDMA, a government agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), is responsible for coordinating response to disasters that ranges from man-made disasters to natural disasters in India.
The primary purpose of the National Disaster Management Authority in India is to engage in preparation and capacity-building activities for danger and disaster management. The disaster management authority has a separate wing for disaster response known as National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Did you know?During the recent tragedy of Nepal earthquake, the NDRF's contribution in terms of rescue operations is commended all over the world
The disaster response force is equipped with experts who are skilled in search, save and rehabilitation. The Ministry of Science and Technology (India) comprises a government agency that extends the expertness of meteorology specialists and scientists to emergency management as well.
federal military forces of India (Bharatiya Sashastra Sena) also bid a crucial role in the disaster management operations. In addition to the government disaster management agencies, several non-profit-making organizations also extend disaster management services in India, Mumbai-based Aniruddha's Academy of Disaster Management (ACDM) being the notable one.
Also Read: Disaster Management in Coimbatore, Disaster Management in Ahmedabad
Blood Banks in India
Blood banks are an integral part of the emergency services in India. There is doubt in the fact, that blood transfusion to a patient who is in need of blood at times of emergencies could save his/her life. In India, most of the government and private hospitals are equipped with blood banks.
Furthermore, blood banks in India are noble arrangements for following through procedures for blood collection, pheresis, blood storage, processing of blood and supply of blood gotten from blood donors and/or for provision, blood storage and supply of blood elements.
It is significant to mention that an exclusive license or permit is mandatory to operate a blood bank. Without permit to operate a blood bank is a violation under Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940 and regulations constituted under that.
Besides, under National AIDS Control Organization (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India), blood transfusion under the oversight of educated staff for everyone who need blood, regardless of their social status by comprehensive, effective and overall quality management access is guaranteed under the national blood policy.
Helplines for Women in Distress in India
With an objective to help the cops quickly proceed to any emergency call by a woman in distress, irrespective of location, the Government of India recently asked for proposals from information technology services to follow through the National Emergency Response System (NERS).
The NERS is expected to amend the current system which is regrettably confined to urban centres. Besides, most of the urban centres in the country practice different response systems.
Similar to 911 in United States of America, the National Emergency Response System is planned to have an exclusive 'Public Safety Answering Point' abbreviated as PSAP in all the Indian states and union territories. The answering point is basically a call centre where all distress calls coming from that state will be responded.
The Ministry Of Home Affairs along with the Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology) is working to check that the location of the person who is in need of quick help is assisted efficiently.
Also Read: Women Helpline in Delhi
Emergency Helpline Numbers in India
- Police Control Room (Anywhere in India): 100
- Women's Helpline (Anywhere in India): 181
- Fire and Rescue Services: 101
- AIDS Helpline (Anywhere in India): 1097
- Ambulance: 102
- Emergency response service for medical, police and fire emergencies: 108
- (Available in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh)
- Drugs (24-hour CARE helpline for alcoholism and drug addiction): (040) 2779 0278, 0984 826 3919
- HIV/AIDS: 1800 180 2008 (from BSNL/MTNL phones only), 0172 2662172 (from all lines)
- Child Abuse: 1098
- Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence: 181
- Suicide/Crisis Line - 24-hour helpline: (044) 2754 6669
- Anti-Poison; 1066
- Cancer Helpline: 9910516562
Public Utility Services in India
Being the second most populous country in the world, services of essential and effective public utility are a must for the people of India.
As far as the public utility services in India are concerned, the government, government owned agencies and private sectors extend a long list of utility services to the population. The wide range of public utility services in India promotes and enhances the well-being of every citizen of this country.
Moreover, extending effective utility services to people is one of the important responsibilities of the government. Some of the most significant public utility services in India include Postal Services, Telecommunications, Banks and ATMs, Electricity and so on. Let's get to know more about the public utility services extended in India.
Postal Services in India
The Department of Posts, popularly called as India Post, is the official postal system of India. The government run postal system is usually called as the post office by the people of India.
India Post is regarded as one of the largest postal system network in the work as the total number of post offices in the country exceeds 1, 55,015.
Among the total number of post offices in India, about 90 percent of post offices are located in rural areas and about 10 percent of post offices are located in urban areas.
India Post has recorded massive growth post independence, with rural areas as their primary focus. On the average, a local post office attends to a population of 7,175 people.
Did you know?
World's highest post office is located in Hikkim, Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of 15,500 ft above sea level - Postal Code 172114
For effective postal services, India has been divided into 22 postal circles. Each of the postal circles is led by a Chief Postmaster General. Further, each postal circle is separated into postal regions which consist of field units.
Each postal region is directed by a Postmaster General. Apart from the postal circles, India Post operates an exclusive circle called as 'Base Circle' to cater to the postal needs and demands of the armed forces.
Some of the mail services, premium products, financial services and retail services offered by the India post include inland letter, post card, printed post card, book packet, value payable letters etc.
Also Read: Post Offices in Delhi | Post Offices in Pune | Post Offices in Surat | Post Offices in Kochi | Post Offices in Chennai | Post Offices in Bengaluru | Post Officer in Mumbai
Quick Facts:Type of Administration: Agency of the Government of IndiaIndustry: Postal servicesFounded: 1st April 1774Headquarters: Sansad Marg, New Delhi- 110001Director General of India Post: Smt. Padmini Gopinath, Director GeneralTotal Number of Employees (As of 31 March 2011): 466,903Important Contact Information:Toll Free Call Centre1800-11-2011
Apart from India Post who is the leading postal services in the country, several private players are extending courier services to the population. Some of the well known courier services in India include:
DHL Express India, Blue Dart Express Ltd, First Flight Courier Limited, Fedex India, DTDC Courier and Cargo Ltd, TNT Express, Gati Limited, Overnite Express Ltd, The Professional Courier Network Ltd and so on.
Banks and ATMs in India
Being one of the largest economies in the world and a rapidly growing economic system, India is dotted by public sector banks, private sector banks, foreign banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks, across the length and breadth of the country.
Until a few years back, finding an ATM in an urban centre is a big deal, but today even the rural parts of the country is dotted with ATMs of popular banks. Some of the important banks in the country include
Telecommunication Services in India
Headquartered in New Delhi, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (popularly called as BSNL) is a state-owned enterprise and is the leading telecommunication services in India. Incorporated during the year 2000, BSNL assumed the line of work of catering telecom services and telecommunication network maintenance from the former managements of
- Departments of Telecom Services (DTS) and
- Telecom Operations (DTO)
Did you know?Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is the oldest and most prominent communication service provider in India
Some of the popular private telecom players who provide a wide range of services like mobile, landline, broadband and so on in India include Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications, Aircel, Tata Docomo, MTS India, Videocon, Vodafone and so on.
Also Read: Telecom Services in Hyderabad, Telecom in Bangalore
Electricity in India
India is one among the most preferred business destination in the globe. The presence of a number of electricity generation plants in the country is one of the major reasons behind the growth of the economy in India.
Electricity is substantive for industrial development of any nation. The handiness of the effective power supply does good to almost every industrial sector of a country.
That is the basic reason that the Government of India has afforded eminent priority to the power sector. India has a booming power sector that is dealing with most of the energy needs and demands of the country.
Did you know?
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh are the top five India states equipped with highest installed electricity generation capacity
Passport Services in India
Passport Seva, a single-stop service for all passport needs of India citizens is operating under the administrative ambit of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The Passport Seva has three individual wings, which deals with consular, passport and visa needs of the population.
The objective of this exclusive service is to extend passport services to Indian citizens in a transparent, more approachable, dependable manner and in an easy environment through effective procedures with the help of a dedicated, groomed and people-friendly workforce.
Important Contact Information:
- National Call Centre/IVRS: 1800-258-1800 (Toll Free)
- Call Centre Timings: 8 AM to 10 PM
- IVRS Support: 24/7
Also Read: Passport Offices in Delhi | Passport Offices in Ahmedabad | Passport Offices in Pune | Passport Offices in Chennai | Passport Agents in Kochi | Passport Services in Coimbatore | Passport in Kolkata | Passport in Mumbai
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