New Delhi: Following the order of the Supreme Court, the central government has finally started implementing cashless scheme for immediate treatment of road accident victims across the country. The Gazette notification has been issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, clarifying that the implementation of the scheme has been started on 5 May 2025 across the country. According to the notification, road accident victims will get cashless treatment of Rs 1.5 lakh with immediate effect. The benefit of this scheme will be available for seven days from the date of accident in hospitals approved for treatment by the government.
The government has named this scheme a cashless treatment scheme 2025 for road accident victims. Like the Ayushman Card Scheme, this government scheme is also considered important. According to this scheme, cashless treatment of about Rs 1.50 lakh will be provided to each injured person for seven days from the date of the accident. The main objective of this scheme is to save the lives of the injured by providing appropriate treatment at the time of accident. All the citizens of the country will get the benefit of this scheme. The government will bear the expenditure of one and a half lakh rupees on treatment.
A nodal agency will be formed in all states and union territories for the implementation and monitoring of this scheme. This nodal agency will publish a list of hospitals approved for treatment on the web portal in collaboration with the National Health Authority. Apart from this, the amount given to the hospitals and the treatment of the victims will also be monitored. In addition, an Steering Committee will also be formed to maintain the plan. This committee will be chaired by the road secretary while the CEO of NHA will be its members. Apart from this, Secretary of Health, Finance, Home and Road Tourism and Highways Ministries will also be included. If someone has an accident, he will be admitted to the hospital immediately. Treatment has to be started as soon as the hospital is hospitalized. If the hospital is not in a position to treat them, then it will be the responsibility of the hospital to send the patient to another hospital, which includes arranging ambulances etc. The hospital will be able to claim expenses after treatment. After this, the agency will verify all the information, after which the funds will be distributed within 10 days. If the patient is admitted to another hospital in such cases instead of admitted to the hospital approved by the government for treatment, then under this scheme there will be only stabilization (treatment for primary improvement in the situation) and even then some guidelines will have to be followed.
The Supreme Court had earlier questioned the central government, saying that the government has no plans to save the lives of the people injured in accidents. The Supreme Court had said that people are dying in accidents and the first hour of the incident is important. At this time there is a provision in the law to ensure that people get treatment, but it has not been implemented by the government. Later in the Supreme Court, the Center said that the draft of the scheme is ready and notification will be issued soon for its implementation. Finally, this plan has now been implemented. Under which, if a citizen has an accident on any road across the country, then he will be given the benefit of this scheme.
