Centre plans to introduce cashless treatment of accident victims across India: Official

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plans to roll out the facility of cashless medical treatment of road accident victims across the country in three to four months, a top government official said on Monday.

Road Transport and Highways Secretary Anurag Jain, while inaugurating an event organized by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), noted that India has the highest number of road accident due to road accident deaths in the world.

"Free and cashless medical treatment to accident-injured victims is part of the Amended Motor Vehicle Act, 2019 (MVA2019). Some states have implemented it, but now the Ministry of Highways in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will be fully implementing it across the nation," Jain said.

He added that the facility will be rolled out in three to four months. According to him, it is envisioned to provide access to cashless trauma treatment for road accident victims at the nearest appropriate hospital in the country, in accor1dance with the ruling of the Supreme Court ruling, and by drawing it’s from the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019. (MV Amendment Act).

“Such cashless treatment shall be extended to road accident victims, including during the golden hour as defined in the MV Amendment Act,” he added.

The golden hour refers to the critical first hour after a traffic accident with casualties when prompt medical attention can make all the difference.

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