Lok Sabha Question No. 168 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-11
Subject: Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar, Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 168 ANSWERED ON 11 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## CASHLESS TREATMENT FOR ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIMS

*168. Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar: Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  updated  the  cashless  treatment scheme for road accident victims and if so, the key features of the revised scheme; (b)  the  manner  in  which  the  expanded/revised  scheme  aims  to improve emergency medical care and reduce fatalities due to road accidents; (c)  whether there are plans to increase the number of empanelled hospitals and trauma care centers under this scheme and if so, the details thereof; (d) the steps being taken to enhance awareness and accessibility of the cashless treatment scheme across the country; and (e) the manner in which this initiative aligns with the Government's commitment for improving road safety and providing timely medical assistance to accident victims?

## 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.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 168 ANSWERED ON 11.12.2025  ASKED  BY  SHRI  RAVINDRA  DATTARAM  WAIKAR  AND SHRI NARESH GANPAT MHASKE REGARDING 'CASHLESS TREATMENT FOR ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIMS'

- (a) In accordance with the legal mandate under Section 162 of the Motor  Vehicles  Act,  1988,  Cashless  Treatment  for  Road  Accident Victims Scheme, 2025 (Scheme) has been notified vide S.O. 2015(E) dated  05.05.2025.  Further,  comprehensive  guidelines  detailing  the process flow, roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders, and the  Standard  Operating  Procedures  (SOPs)  for  its  implementation have been issued vide S.O. 2489 (E) dated 04.06.2025. Key features of the scheme are as under:
- (i) Treatment cover upto Rs. 1.5 lakh per victim will be provided, subject  to  a  maximum  cap  of  7  days  from  date  of  accident.  The treatment cover will be available to those victims who are involved in road accidents caused by use of motor vehicles.
- (ii) Every  road  accident  victim  shall  be  provided  stabilization treatment for up to 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases and up to 48 hours in life-threatening cases at designated hospitals, subject to police response.
- (iii) This  statutory  scheme  will  take  precedence  over  any  other Central / State level schemes.
- (iv) The Scheme is being implemented through the amalgamation of  two  existing  platforms  i.e.  eDAR  (electronic  Detailed  Accident Report) used by Police officials for reporting of accidents and TMS 2.0 (Transaction Management System) of National Health Authority (NHA)  used  by  hospitals  for  treatment,  claim  submission  and processing  of  payments.  The  reimbursement  to  hospitals  is  being done through Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF) which is funded through contributions from General Insurance companies for cases where the offending Motor Vehicle is insured and through budgetary support for other-than-insured cases.
- (b) The  Scheme  focuses  on  strengthening  emergency  medical response during the golden hour i.e. the time period lasting one hour following a traumatic injury during which there is highest likelihood of preventing death by providing prompt medical care. Further,  to  support  the  time  bound  transfer  of  the  victim  from  the accident  spot to the nearest hospital,  convergence  with  112

(Emergency Response Support System) has been undertaken which can help in prompt dispatch of nearest available ambulance as well as early intimation to jurisdictional police officials about  the occurrence of the road accident. The scheme also provides for SMS alerts to District Police officials and District Collectors for early & time bound action.

All  hospitals,  whether  designated  or  not,  are  required  to  provide stabilisation  treatment  to  victims.  The  Scheme  provides  cashless coverage for stabilisation for up to 24 hours, extendable to 48 hours in life threatening situations, thereby ensuring immediate life saving intervention during the golden hour to road accident victims.

The guidelines  also  provides  for  a  referral  mechanism.  If  a  victim reaches  a  non-designated  hospital,  the  hospital  is  required  to stabilise the patient and has the provision to transfer the patient to a  designated  hospital,  ensuring  continuity  of  care  across  both designated and non-designated hospitals.

- (c) As per the Scheme guidelines notified vide S.O. 2489 (E) dated 04th June, 2025, designated hospitals under the Scheme-including empanelled  hospitals  under  the  Ayushman  Bharat  Pradhan  Mantri Jan  Arogya  Yojana  (AB  PM-JAY)  that  comply  with  the  guidelines issued by the National Health Authority (NHA) for this scheme, shall be deemed designated hospitals for the purposes of the Scheme.

Multiple communications have been done with States/UTs to designate additional hospitals especially around accident hotspots under  the  Scheme  as  per  the  Hospitals  Empanelment  guidelines issued  vide  OM  S-12018/81/2024  dated  20  May  2025  and  mandate hospitals as per local laws to provide emergency care to the victims of road accidents.

- (d) Besides sensitizing the States/UTs, the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan has been launched through Central Bureau of Communication  to  create  awareness  on  programs  and  policies including Cashless Treatment to Road Accident Victims Scheme.

Accessibility under the Scheme is also being ensured by leveraging the extensive network  of hospitals already  empanelled  under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)

to ensure that victims can access cashless treatment across wide existing national network.

(e) Government in the Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and  Highways 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.

The  Scheme  has  been  notified  in  accordance  with  the  legal mandate  under  Section  162  of  the  Motor  Vehicles  Act,  1988  by adopting Whole-of-Government Approach, wherein the utilization of existing infrastructure has been integrated with the use of technology.

The  judgement  of  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  in  Pt.  Parmanand Katara vs. Union of India (1988) has stated that every injured citizen brought  for  medical  treatment  should  instantaneously  be  given medical  aid  to  preserve  life.  The  Law  Commission  of  India,  in  its 201st Report  on  Emergency  Medical  Care  to  Victims  of  Accidents and During Emergency Medical Condition (2006) has stated that at least 50 per cent of the fatalities can be averted if the victims are admitted to a hospital within the Golden Hour.

The Scheme focuses on strengthening emergency medical response during the golden hour i.e. the time period lasting one hour following a  traumatic  injury  during  which  there  is  highest  likelihood  of preventing death by providing prompt medical care. The State Road Safety Council (SRSC) set up under section 215(2) of MV Act, 1988 shall be nodal agency responsible for implementation of  the  Scheme  in  the  respective  State/UT.  The  responsibility  for overall monitoring and coordination of the Scheme implementation in  the  district  shall  be  of  the  District  Road  Safety  Committees (DRSC)  set  up  under  section  215(3)  of  MV  Act,  1988.  The  split  of responsibilities as well as the detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for each stakeholder in respective scenarios has already been provided in the Guidelines issued vide S.O. 2489 dated 04.06.2025.

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