GUWAHATI: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced a new scheme on Tuesday, January 7, aimed at providing cashless treatment to road accident victims. The scheme will cover medical expenses up to Rs 1.5 lakh for a maximum of seven days. To qualify for the benefit, the accident must be reported to the police within 24 hours.
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In the case of a hit-and-run accident resulting in death, the victim's family will be eligible for compensation of Rs 2 lakh.
Gadkari made the announcement during a press conference in New Delhi, adding that the pilot phase of the scheme, which has already been implemented in states like Assam, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Puducherry, highlighted several challenges.
The scheme also draws attention to the growing concern about road safety and the shortage of trained drivers in India. The country is facing a deficit of around 22 lakh drivers, a gap that continues to contribute to high accident rates.
In response, he also launched new driving training centers, including a cluster-based approach for training and testing facilities.
