Govt Notifies Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims Nationwide

PTI, NEW DELHI, MAY 6, 2025 :  Road accident victims all over India will be entitled to cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh for the first seven days at designated hospitals, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on Tuesday.

According to a gazette notification, the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025 has come into force with effect from May 5, 2025. The scheme aims to reduce the number of deaths caused by road accidents each year due to delays in timely medical intervention.

"Any person being a victim of a road accident arising out of the use of a motor vehicle, occurring on any road, shall be entitled to cashless treatment in accordance with the provisions of this scheme," the notification said.

The National Health Authority (NHA) will be the implementing agency for the programme, in coordination with the police, hospitals, State Health Agencies, and other relevant bodies.

"The victim shall be entitled to cashless treatment at any designated hospital for an amount up to ₹1.5 lakh per victim for a maximum period of seven days from the date of such accident," it added.

According to the notification, treatment at a hospital that is not a designated one will be limited to stabilisation purposes only and will follow specified guidelines.

As per the scheme, the State Road Safety Council shall be the nodal agency for implementation in each state or Union Territory. It will be responsible for coordinating with the National Health Authority for the adoption and utilisation of the portal used for onboarding designated hospitals, treating victims, and processing payments.

The government has also set up an 11-member steering committee under the Road Secretary to monitor the scheme’s implementation. The committee will include the CEO of the National Health Authority and the Additional Secretary of MoRTH as members.

On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had launched a pilot programme in Chandigarh, which was later expanded to six states to provide cashless treatment to road accident victims.

Recently, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that there were 4.80 lakh road accidents in 2023, resulting in 1.72 lakh deaths.