Bhubaneswar, Oct. 5: The women and child development department has introduced a new feature to the women helpline number - a rescue option.

The decision to add the service to the 181 helpline was taken during a review meeting of the special secretaries of the state government last month. The department will collaborate with police for the service.

The helpline already receives a number of calls from victims, but call centre executives could not be mobilised for help due to the absence of a mechanism between the wo-men and child development and home departments. The service will aid them better.

'Many times, women request for rescue from their place. This requires police and transport support,' said a women and child development department official.

She said there was no option to transfer the calls and the call centre executives were unable to help women in such situations.

'In the meeting, we discussed the issue and decided to come up with a mechanism to help women in distress,' said the official.

Sources said department officials have scheduled a co-ordination meeting with the home and health and family welfare departments next week to add the emergency service to the already existing number.

Besides, a steering and monitoring committee will also be formed with officials of the women and child development, home, health and family welfare departments and representatives from civil societies to monitor the operation and management of the helpline on a quarterly basis.

The toll free number was introduced by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on International Women's Day on March 8 this year. The number provides a range of services, including information on different women and child related schemes, medical and legal aid and psychosocial counselling.

'The introduction of the helpline came as a boon for many, but there is a need to add the rescue option. Many times, women call for urgent help, which needs immediate intervention. It is good that the government realised the need for the service,' said Namita Pradhan, a civil society member.

The Centre had launched the 181 helpline in 2013 after the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape. It had then asked respective state governments to launch the service. The state already has a 1091 helpline operated by the police and a 10920 number operated by the state women's commission to help women in distress.