To provide better protection to vulnerable — women, children and elderly — the home ministry has decided to set up a specialised police unit in 682 police districts of the country with personnel having specific trained to deal with crimes against such sections.

These units would also act as training centres for other personnel of the district with an aim to sensitive them to play a more proactive role in detection and investigation of crimes against weaker sections and make them gender sensitive.

"Despite growing awareness of the problem and declared willingness of the state to fight gender based violence, women and girls continue to suffer disproportionately at the hands of family members, intimate partners and society at large," says the ministry's new scheme for combating violence against vulnerable groups across India.

The National Crime Record Bureau data has shown rise in crime against women and children such as rape, molestation, dowry harassment and honour killings.

The ministry told officials from different states this month that the scheme has to be implemented in a "mission mode" for creating an institutional mechanism to launch a crusade against all forms of violence and crimes against the vulnerable sections.

The pilot units have already  tasted success in 115 districts to check human trafficking in Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.