PM RAHAT SCHEME

PM RAHAT SCHEME

• Full Form – Prime Minister Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment Scheme
• Launched on – 14 February 2026

BACKGROUND

• India faces a very high number of road accidents every year. Many people die because they do not get treatment on time.
• Studies show:
  • Around 50% deaths can be prevented
  • If victim reaches hospital within the Golden Hour (first 1 hour)
• So the government started PM RAHAT to save lives.

OBJECTIVES OF RAHAT

Main aim is simple:

• No accident victim should die due to lack of money.
• Immediate hospital treatment must be given.
• Strong emergency system must be created.

It shows a citizen-first approach and focus on service and compassion.

KEY FEATURES

(A) Cashless Treatment

• Every eligible road accident victim will get Cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh
• Coverage period: 7 days from the date of accident
• Applicable on any category of road

This means the victim or family does not need to pay money at hospital.

(B) Stabilization Treatment

• For non-life-threatening cases → treatment up to 24 hours
• For life-threatening cases → treatment up to 48 hours
• Subject to police authentication through digital system

This ensures emergency care is not delayed.

(C) Golden Hour Focus

• The scheme gives importance to the Golden Hour.
• Integration with Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) – 112 Helpline
• Anyone can call:
  • Road accident victim
  • Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan)
  • Any person present at accident site

They can:

• Get details of nearest designated hospital
• Ask for ambulance help

This improves coordination between:

• Police
• Ambulance services
• Hospitals

TECHNOLOGY BASED IMPLEMENTATION

PM RAHAT uses a digital system.

It integrates:

1. eDAR (Electronic Detailed Accident Report) – Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
2. TMS 2.0 (Transaction Management System) – National Health Authority

PROCESS FLOW

Accident Reporting → Hospital Admission → Police Authentication → Treatment → Claim Processing → Payment

Police confirmation timeline:

• 24 hours (non-life-threatening)
• 48 hours (life-threatening)

This ensures:

• Transparency
• Accountability
• No delay in emergency care

FUNDING MECHANISM

Payment to hospitals will be made through:

(A) Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF)

If offending vehicle is insured:

• Payment from contributions of General Insurance Companies

If vehicle is uninsured or Hit & Run case:

• Payment from Government of India budget allocation

Claim Settlement

• State Health Agency will approve claim
• Payment to hospital within 10 days

This gives financial certainty to hospitals.

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISM

If there is any complaint:

• Grievance Redressal Officer will handle it.
• Officer will be nominated by the District Road Safety Committee
• Committee is chaired by:
  • District Collector /
  • District Magistrate /
  • Deputy Commissioner

This ensures district-level accountability.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Reduces preventable deaths
• Encourages Good Samaritans
• Removes financial burden
• Strengthens emergency ecosystem
• Improves hospital accountability

It is a major step towards:

“No life lost due to lack of immediate medical care.”

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