Lok Sabha Question No. 144 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-29
Subject: National Road Safety Council
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Anubhav Mohanty

## be pleased to state:

- (a)     the functions of the National Road Safety Council;
- (b)     the details of the Members of the Council, their tenure and the criteria and procedure adopted for their selection;
- (c)     the details of the policy decisions taken by the said Council and implemented since its inception; and
- (d)     the extent to which the Council has been able to improve the road safety in the country?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) to (d)    A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO.144 ANSWERED ON 29 TH  July, 2021

## NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL

*144.  SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 144 ANSWERED ON 29.07.2021 ASKED BY SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY REGARDING NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

- (a)      The  function  of  the  National  Road  Safety  Council  are  as under:-
- (i) To advise on all matters pertaining to planning and coordination of policies, standards of safety in the Road Transport Sector;
- (ii) To  formulate  and  recommend  road  safety  programmes  for implementation  by  State  Road  Safety  Organizations  as  also other State Agencies in-charge of road transport;
- (iii) To  suggest  areas  for  research  and  development  to  improve safety aspects in road transport sector including maintenance of statistics of road accidents and their analysis;
- (iv) To  generally  oversee  and  monitor  at  Central  Level,  the  road safety measures undertaken by States/UTs.
- (b)     The details of Members of the Council (as constituted by the notification dated 31.08.2015 and subsequently amended by notifications  dated  23.02.2016,  25.04.2016  and  10.04.2017)  are  as under:-

| S.No.   | Particulars                                                                                 | Designation    |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
| 1       | 2                                                                                           | 3              |
| A.      | Official Members:-                                                                          |                |
| 1.      | Minister of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways                                     | Chairman       |
| 2.      | Minister of State for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways                           | Vice- Chairman |
| 3.      | Minister- in -charge of Road Transport of all State/UTs                                     | Members        |
| 4.      | DGs/IGs of all States/UTs                                                                   | Members        |
| 5.      | Representatives from Central Ministries/Departments i) M/o Home Affairs, ii) M/o Education, | Members        |

|    | iii) M/o Railways, iv) M/o Petroleum & Natural Gas, v) Department of Heavy Industry, vi) M/o Environment and Forests & Climate Change vii) M/o Health & Family Welfare viii) M/o Urban Development IX) NITI AAYOG                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |         |
|----|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|
| 6  | Secretary, M/O Road Transport & Highways                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Member  |
| 7  | Chairman, National Highways Authority of India                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | Member  |
| 8  | Director General (Road Development) & Special Secretary, M/O Road Transport & Highways                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Member  |
| 9  | Joint Secretary (Transport), Ministry of Road Transport & Highways                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | Member  |
| B  | Non-Official Co-Opted Members                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |         |
| 10 | Individuals nominated by Minister of Road Transport and Highways                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Members |
| 11 | Government Institutions related to Road Constructions, Road Safety and Insurance i) Director, Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi. ii) Director, Central Institute of Road Transport, Pune. iii) Chairman, Insurance Railway and Development Authority of India, Hyderabad. iv) Chairman, Life Insurance Corporation, Mumbai. v) Director, Automotive Research Association of India, Pune vi) Chief Commissioner, Railway Safety, New Delhi vii) Director, Vehicle Research Development Establishment, Ahemednagar viii) Director, I.I.P. Dehradun, | Members |

| 12   | Association related with Road Safety i) President/Secretary, Society of India Automobile Manufacturers, New Delhi ii) President/Secretary, Automobile Association of India, New Delhi iii)Executive Director, Association of State Road Transport Undertaking, New Delhi iv)President Automotive Component Manufacturers Association, New Delhi v) President, All India Motor Transport Congress, New Delhi vi) All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association, New Delhi vii) President, All India Federation of Motor Vehicles Department Technical Executive Officers Associations, Karnataka   | Members   |
|------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------|

Official  members  continue  by  virtue  of  their  designation.  The tenure of the Non Official co-opted institutional/individual members is for a fixed period of two years only.

The  official  members  and  Non-Official  Institutional  Members  are appointed  by  their  designation.  While  the  'non-Official  Co-Opted Individual  Members'  are  nominated  by  the  Hon'ble  Minister  (RTH) based upon their suitability.

(c)  &  (d)      The  Council  normally  meets  once  in  a  year.  The proceedings of the Council are shared with the concerned stakeholders including State/UT Governments for appropriate action. The last meeting of National road Safety Council was held at Vigyan  Bhawan, New Delhi on 19 th  January, 2021.

Based on the discussions and suggestions in NRSC meetings,  the  Ministry  has  formulated  a  multi-pronged  strategy  to address  the  issue  of  road  safety  based  on  Education,  Engineering (both  of  roads  and  vehicles),  Enforcement  and  Emergency  Care. Accordingly, various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry as detailed below :-

- i. Education:
- a. The  Ministry  implements  a  scheme  for  undertaking  publicity measures and awareness campaigns on road safety to create awareness  among  road  users  through  the  electronic  media, print media, NGOs etc.
- b. Observance  of  National  Road  Safety  Month/Week  every  year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.
- c. A  Certification  Course  for  Road  Safety  Auditors  has  been commenced in Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE).
- ii. Engineering (both of Roads and vehicles)
6.  Road engineering
- a. High priority to  identification  and rectification  of  black  spots (accident prone spots) on national highways.
- b. Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.
- c. Ministry has delegated powers to Regional Officers of MORTH for technical approval to the detailed estimates for rectification of identified Road Accident black spots.
- d. Guidelines  for  pedestrian  facilities  on  National  Highways  for persons with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.
11.  Vehicle engineering:
- a. Safety standards for automobiles have been improved.
- b. Ministry has notified fitment of Speed Limiting devices on all transport vehicles.
- c. Scheme  for  setting  up  one  model  Inspection  &  Certification Centre in each State/UT with Central assistance for testing the fitness of vehicles through an automated system.
- iii. Enforcement
- a. The  recently  passed  motor  vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019 provides for strict enforcement through use of technology and further provides for strict penalties for ensuring strict compliance  and  enhancing  deterrence  for  violation  of  traffic rules.
- b. Issue  of  Guidelines  for  protection  of  Good  Samaritans  and draft  rules  as  per  MV  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  has  been published.
- iv. Emergency care:
- a. The  Motor  Vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  provides  for  a scheme for the cashless treatment of victims of the accident during the golden hour.
- b. The National Highways Authority of India has made provisions for ambulances at all toll plazas on the completed corridor of National Highways.
- c. Further,  out  of  this,  297  ambulances  have  been  upgraded  to Basic  Life  Support  as  per  AIS-125  and  upgradation  for  the remaining is under process.
22. ******