Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards reducing fatalities caused by road accidents, the Odisha Government will soon roll out the Prime Minister’s Road Accident Victims’ Hospitalisation & Assured Treatment (PM RAHAT) Scheme, aimed at ensuring immediate and cashless treatment for accident victims.
A high-level meeting in this regard was held today at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anu Garg. Among those present were Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh; Principal Secretary to the Commerce and Transport Department NBS Rajput; Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department Aswathy S.; Mission Director of the National Health Mission Dr Brundha D.; State Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur; DGP (Crime Branch) Vinaytosh Mishra; senior officials of the Transport and Health Departments; and all District Collectors, who joined the meeting virtually.
Under the scheme, any person admitted to a hospital within 24 hours of a road accident will be eligible for free treatment for up to seven days, with financial coverage of up to Rs 1.5 lakh. The expenditure will be borne by the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. The scheme has been integrated with the 112 emergency response service to ensure prompt rescue and immediate transportation of victims to nearby hospitals.
Officials informed that hospitals will be reimbursed within a stipulated timeframe through a streamlined digital process. The Police Department will upload accident details on the e-DAR portal within 24 hours, enabling hospitals to initiate claims through the Transaction Management System (TMS). An integrated technology platform will ensure transparency, accountability and speedy implementation.
A structured administrative mechanism has been put in place for effective execution. While the Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will head the steering committee at the national level, the State-level monitoring will be overseen by the National Road Safety Council under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Transport Minister or Chief Secretary. At the district level, the District Road Safety Committee chaired by the District Collector will supervise implementation.
The Health Department stated that, besides hospitals empanelled under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, other hospitals equipped with emergency facilities will also be authorised to provide treatment under the scheme. Departments concerned have been directed to maintain close coordination to ensure seamless service delivery. A district-level grievance redressal mechanism will address complaints, with the District Collector taking the final decision in case of disputes.
Highlighting the urgency of the initiative, the Chief Secretary noted that nearly 16 people lose their lives in road accidents every day in the state. She emphasised that timely medical intervention during the “golden hour” can significantly reduce fatalities and called upon all departments and district authorities to strengthen preparedness and create widespread public awareness about the scheme.
The PM RAHAT Scheme is expected to provide crucial financial protection to accident victims and their families while reinforcing the state’s commitment to road safety and emergency healthcare response.
