Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon formally launch a nationwide cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on January 8.

Speaking after chairing the annual meeting of transport ministers from all states and Union Territories, Gadkari said the scheme aims to significantly reduce fatalities caused by delays in medical treatment following road accidents. The meeting focused on road safety, passenger convenience, ease of doing business, and automobile regulations.

The initiative builds on a pilot programme launched on March 14, 2024, in Chandigarh, which was later expanded to six states. Under the Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025, any person injured in a road accident involving a motor vehicle will be eligible for cashless medical treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh per accident, for a maximum period of seven days from the date of the accident. The scheme applies across all categories of roads in India.

According to Gadkari, since the pilot’s launch, 6,833 treatment requests were raised, of which 5,480 victims were found eligible, while nearly 20% of cases were rejected, primarily due to police verification issues. The government has so far disbursed ₹73.88 lakh from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund.

The nationwide rollout is expected to strengthen emergency healthcare access and save thousands of lives each year by ensuring timely, cashless treatment for accident victims.