Bhubaneswar, June 28: The Odisha government will introduce a helpline in all 30 districts of the state to address incidents of crime against women. Women in distress can dial the toll-free number 181 to register their complaints.

Sources said the state government had decided to expedite introduction of the facility after repeated pleas to address the issue of crime against women. The State Commission of Women office here receives nearly 30 complaints every day from women in Bhubaneswar alone.

Director of the social welfare department Aswathy S. said: “The 181 toll-free number will shortly be introduced across the state with the help of the home department. It will help women in distress to register their complaints. As it is a unique number, it will be easy to remember.”

Special secretary of the home department Lalit Das said: “A meeting took place today. Preliminary discussion with the BSNL is over. Another round of discussion will be held shortly. The number will be installed in the control room office of the police superintendent in every district. We will make a budgetary provision for this.”

According to the plan, an officer in each police station will be assigned to receive calls and immediately rush to the help of the complainant.

“The women and child help desks in police stations will be a big help in addressing the problems of women. People can dial 181 from their mobile phones as well,” said an official.

So far, as crime against women is concerned, Odisha stands eighth in the country and the rate of crime is 22.5 per cent against the all-India average of 18.9 per cent in 2011, according to statistics available with the National Crime Records Bureau.

Though the commission has a toll-free number — 10920 — it has failed to generate good response. Many women complained that the drawback of this number was that it could be accessed only through a landline.

“An NGO is now looking into the system. Whereas the police can immediately take action after receiving a call, the commission has its own paraphernalia, which is time consuming,” said another official.

The state government has also decided to engage top police officers to train girl students in self-defence techniques. The training will be imparted at the high school, Plus Two and Plus Three levels.

The government has also given the go ahead to the officials to take steps in this regard. This move followed a public outcry over the rising number of gang rape cases in Delhi and as well as Odisha.

Students will be trained in martial arts, especially judo and karate. “Officers of the Odisha State Armed Police Force and other armed battalion will visit schools and colleges to impart training in self-defence to girl students, so that they can save themselves in adverse situations,” he said.