Cashless Treatment for Road Accident Victims: Gadkari

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) The government has formulated a scheme to provide cashless treatment to victims of road accidents caused by the use of motor vehicle and initiated implementation on a pilot basis in Chandigarh and Assam, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said under the scheme, the eligible victims are administered health benefit packages relating to trauma and polytrauma care at empanelled hospitals under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPM-JAY), up to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh for a maximum period of seven days from the date of accident.

"The ministry has formulated a scheme and initiated implementation on a pilot basis in Chandigarh and Assam to provide cashless treatment to victims of road accidents caused by use of motor vehicle, on any category of road, in collaboration with National Health Authority (NHA)," the road transport and highways minister said.

According to him, the ministry has formulated a scheme and initiated implementation on a pilot basis in Chandigarh and Assam that is being administered under the aegis of the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, constituted under Section 164B of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

The sources of income and its utilisation has been provided under the Central Motor Vehicles (Motor Vehicle Accident Fund) Rules, 2022, he added.

NHA, under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, in coordination with local police, empanelled hospitals, state health agency, national informatics centre and general insurance council is responsible for implementation of the programme.

The minister said the pilot programme for cashless treatment to victims of road accidents caused by use of motor vehicle, launched in Chandigarh and Assam, extends support irrespective of the place of occurrence of the road accidents, considering the mandate under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.