Lok Sabha Question No. 243 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Shri Naveen Jindal

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has implemented/formulated any scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims mandated by Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the time by which it is expected
- to be implemented nationwide;
- (c) the  Government's  experiences  and  key  takeaways  from  the cashless treatment schemes in Chandigarh and Assam;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that the cap of Rs.1.5 lakh and one-week limit for cashless treatment may be inadequate for severely injured victims; and
- (e)  if  so,  whether  the  Government  plans  to  revise  these  limits  in  the final scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

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

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.243

ANSWERED ON 12 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## CASHLESS TREATMENT OF ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIMS

*243.         SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग

मंत्री

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF THE LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  243  ANSWERED  ON  12.12.2024 ASKED  BY  SHRI  RAJKUMAR  CHAHAR  AND  SHRI  NAVEEN  JINDAL REGARDING CASHLESS TREATMENT OF ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIMS.

- (a)  &(b)  In  line  with  its  commitment  to  reduce  fatalities  due  to  road accidents  and  the  legal  mandate  under  section  162  of  the  Motor Vehicles  Act,  1988,  Government  is  formulating  a  scheme  to  provide cashless treatment to the victims of road accidents caused by the use of motor vehicles. Key features of the scheme are as under:
-  Victims are entitled to cashless treatment up to a maximum of Rs. 1.5 lakh per victim per accident for a maximum period of 7 days from date of accident as per health benefits packages for trauma and polytrauma of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri -Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
-  Applicable to all road accidents caused by use of motor vehicle on any category of road.
-  The National Health Authority (NHA) shall implement the scheme,  in  coordination  with  police,  hospitals,  State  Health Agency  (SHA), etc., through an IT platform combining  the functionalities  of  existing  Electronic  Detailed  Accident  Report (eDAR) application of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and Transaction Management System (TMS) of NHA.
- (c)  Government  in  the  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and  Highways (MoRTH), along with National Health Authority (NHA), has implemented pilot  programs  for  providing  cashless  treatment  to  victims  of  road accidents  in  the  Union  Territory  of  Chandigarh  and  Puducherry  and States of Assam, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand. The pilot program is  aimed  at  strengthening  the  scheme  through  on-ground  validation and  assessment  in  collaboration  with  States/Union  Territories,  while also ensuring operational readiness of States/Union Territories for pan India launch of the Scheme. During pilot implementation following key learnings have been noted:
-  To effect quick transfer of the victim to the nearest empanelled hospital, strengthening of the ambulance ecosystem and
- maximum  convergence  of  112  with  the  associated  helplines viz.108,  102,  1033,  or  any  Central  /  State-specific  helplines  is essential for administering timely medical care, especially during the golden hour when the likelihood of preventing death is high .
-  Comprehensive  and  rigorous  training  sessions  are  essential  for field  officials.  This  includes  familiarization  with  the  scheme's features  and  proficiency  in  data  entry  processes  on  relevant portals.
-  To  expand  access  and  coverage  under  the  scheme,  more hospitals  are  required  to  be  empanelled  especially  hospitals located near the accident hotspots.
-  Optimisation  of  police  response  time  and  better  coordination between various stakeholders is required.

(d) & (e) The Scheme is meant to provide treatment to victims of road accidents,  including  during  the  golden  hour  when  the  likelihood  of preventing  death  is  high.  The  utilization  data  of  National  Health care, including as observed during the pilot implementation, indicates that the vast majority of the road accident victims do not require treatment

Authority's benefits packages for trauma and polytrauma beyond Rs.1.5 lakh or hospitalization beyond seven days. Treatment  beyond  the  prescribed  limit  of  the  Scheme  may  be availed  under  the  respective  schemes  of  States/UTs  as  per  the eligibility criteria defined therein.

- *****