Government Introduces Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims Nationwide by March 2024

The government plans to introduce a revised scheme by March, offering cashless treatment for road accident victims across the country. Each individual will be eligible for up to Rs 1.5 lakh per accident, as announced by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. This scheme will cover all road accidents involving motor vehicles on any type of road.

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The National Health Authority (NHA) will oversee the programme's implementation, collaborating with police, hospitals, and State Health Agencies. The initiative will utilise an IT platform that integrates the e-Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) application from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways with the NHA's Transaction Management System.

Cashless Treatment Scheme Details

Victims will receive cashless treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh per accident for a maximum of seven days from the accident date. This was highlighted by Gadkari during a press conference. The government aims to finalise this modified scheme by March this year.

On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) launched a pilot programme in Chandigarh to provide cashless treatment for road accident victims. This pilot aimed to create a system for timely medical care during crucial moments after accidents. The project later expanded to six states.

Addressing Driver Fatigue and Safety

The road transport and highways minister mentioned that the government is examining labour laws to establish working hours for commercial drivers, similar to pilots. Driver fatigue has been linked to fatal road accidents, and India currently faces a shortage of 22 lakh drivers.

MoRTH held a two-day workshop on January 6 and 7, 2025, to discuss issues and solutions for transforming India's road transport sector. Topics included accelerating the Vehicle Scrapping Policy, nationwide adoption of PUCC 2.0, and timelines for introducing BS-VII norms, along with expected pollution reduction.

Driver Training and Safety Initiatives

Gadkari also launched a scheme for setting up Driver Training Institutes (DTI) across India. The scheme offers incentives for establishing DTIs and additional benefits for integrated infrastructure of Automated Testing Stations (ATS) and DTIs.

The minister emphasised introducing regulations to enhance E-Rickshaw safety due to their increasing numbers nationwide. Discussions included implementing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for trucks and enforcing retro reflective tape for transport vehicle safety.

Technological Advancements in Road Safety

The workshop also covered monitoring centres and vehicle location tracking devices (VLTD) for the safety of women and children. Additionally, there was a focus on launching and integrating all faceless services by March 2025.

A Committee of Secretaries, including representatives from States, MoRTH, and NIC, will work towards standardising faceless service modules and document standardisation for registration processes.