Lok Sabha Question No. 1989 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-10
Subject: Financial assistance to accident victims
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: UDAY PRATAP SINGH, HARISH DWIVEDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1989

ANSWERED ON 10 TH    DECEMBER,  2015

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ACCIDENT VICTIMS

## 1989    SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

## SHRI HARISH CHANDRA  ALIAS  HARISH  DWIVEDI:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken by the Government in the wake of increase in accidents on National Highways;

(b) whether financial assistance is being provided to the people affected by accidents on National Highways; and

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the financial assistance provided to people injured/died in accidents on National Highways for each of the last three years State-wise?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a)  The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken a number of steps to prevent road accidents as per details mentioned under:

- (i) The Government has approved a National Road Safety Policy.  This Policy outlines  various  policy  measures  such  as  promoting  awareness,  establishing road  safety  information  data  base,  encouraging  safer  road  infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, enforcement of safety laws etc.
- (ii) The Government has constituted the National Road Safety Council as the apex body to take policy decisions in matters of road safety.
- (iii) The Ministry has requested all States/UTs for setting up of State Road Safety Council  and  District  Road  Safety  Committees,  and  to  hold  their  meetings regularly.
- (iv) The Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road  safety  based  on  4  'E's  viz.  Education,  Engineering  (both  of  roads  and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care.
- (v) Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.
- (vi) Road Safety Audit of selected stretches of National Highways.
- (vii) Setting up of model driving training institutes in States and refresher training to drivers of Heavy Motor Vehicle in the unorganized sector.
- (viii) Advocacy/Publicity campaign on road safety through the electronic and print media.
- (ix) Tightening  of  safety  standards  for  vehicles  like  Seat  Belts,  Power-steering, anti-lock braking system etc.
- (x) Providing  cranes  and  ambulances  to  various  State  Governments  under  the National  Highway  Accident  Relief  Service  Scheme  for  development  on National  Highways.  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  also  provides ambulances  at  a  distance  of  50  Km.  on  each  of  its  completed  stretches  of National Highways under its Operation & Maintenance contracts.
- (xi) Identification and rectification of black spots (accident prone spots)
- (xii) Launch  of  pilot  projects  for  providing  cashless  treatment  of  road  accident victims  on  Gurgaon  -  Jaipur,  Vadodara  -  Mumbai  stretch  of  National Highways No. 8 and Ranchi - Rargaon - Mahulia stretch of National Highway No. 33.

(b)    &  (c)  Section  165  of  the  Motor  Vehicles  Act,  1988,  empowers  State  Government  to constitute,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  one  or  more  Motor  Accidents  Claims Tribunals for such area as may be specified in the notification for the purpose of adjudicating upon claims for compensation in respect of accidents involving the death of, or bodily injury to,  persons arising out of the use of motor vehicles, or damages to any property of a third party so arising, or both.

Also, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has launched three pilot projects for cashless treatment of road accident victims on following stretches of National Highways:-

- (i) Gurgaon - Jaipur stretch of National Highway (NH) No.8. (launched in 2013 14)
- (ii) Vadodara - Mumbai stretch of NH No. 8 (launched in 2014 -15)
- (iii) Ranchi - Rargaon - Mahulia stretch of NH No. 33. (launched in 2014 -15)

The objective of the project is to save lives of accident victims by providing prompt and  appropriate  medical  care  during  'Golden  Hour",  and  thereby  reduce  fatalities  and disabilities due to road accidents. The project envisages transport of accident victims from the accident scene to hospital and, where required, from one hospital to another for treatment at a public or private hospital for the first 48 hours or Rs. 30,000/-, whichever is earlier.

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