PM RAHAT Scheme: Features, Reimbursement & Grievance Redressal

PM Modi launched the PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment) scheme to provide cashless emergency medical care to road-accident victims.

Primary Objective: The scheme aims to prevent fatalities by ensuring victims receive immediate medical treatment within the “Golden Hour”, the first 60 minutes after an accident.
Strategic Goal: It serves as the “Emergency Care” pillar of India’s 4E strategy (Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency Care) to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2030.

About PM RAHAT Scheme

PM RAHAT is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) that offers cashless medical treatment to all road accident victims.
Statutory Basis: Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, legally obligates insurance companies to support a nationwide cashless treatment framework.
Nodal Agency: The National Health Authority (NHA) serves as the primary nodal body responsible for executing the scheme at the national level.
Cooperative Governance: State Health Agencies (SHAs) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) collaborate to ensure regional implementation.
Financial Source: The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF) acts as the central repository for reimbursing all eligible hospital medical expenses.
- Insurer Liability: For accidents involving insured vehicles, costs are drawn from contributions made by General Insurance Companies to the MVAF.
- Funding Gap: The Central Government provides dedicated budgetary allocations to the MVAF to cover expenses for hit-and-run cases and accidents involving uninsured vehicles.
Universal Benefit: The benefits extend to any person (Indian or foreign national) involved in an accident on all road categories, including national highways, state highways, and urban streets.

Operational Mechanism

Financial Benefits: Victims are entitled to cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for a maximum of 7 days from the date of the accident.
Provider Network: The network includes all AB PMJAY-empanelled hospitals, as well as government and private facilities designated by the States.
Stabilisation Window: Mandatory stabilisation treatment is provided for 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases and 48 hours for critical emergencies.
Digital Verification: The eDAR (Electronic Detailed Accident Report) portal enables seamless verification of accident data across the digital ecosystem.
Police Authentication: Cashless benefits remain contingent upon police authentication via eDAR within 24 hours for standard cases and 48 hours for critical ones.
Claim Management: The TMS 2.0 (Transaction Management System) of the National Health Authority manages the entire claim processing workflow.
Liquidity Assurance: State Health Agencies are mandated to settle approved claims within 10 days to maintain hospital financial liquidity.
Response Integration: The scheme integrates with the 112 helpline to ensure rapid coordination between first responders and trauma centres.
Grievance Redressal: A district-level officer under the District Road Safety Committee handles all disputes and complaints regarding service delivery.

Read More > Road Safety in India

Source: NOA

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the PM RAHAT Scheme?
PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment) provides cashless emergency medical care to road accident victims.

Q. What is the main objective of PM RAHAT?
It aims to reduce fatalities by ensuring treatment within the Golden Hour (first 60 minutes after an accident).

Q. Under which ministry is PM RAHAT implemented?
It is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

Q. Which agency is the nodal authority for PM RAHAT?
The National Health Authority (NHA) is the national nodal agency.

Who is eligible under PM RAHAT Scheme?
Any person, including foreign nationals, injured in a road accident in India.

Q. On which roads is PM RAHAT applicable?
It covers accidents on national highways, state highways, and urban roads.