- Why in news
- On 12 August 2026 the Road Transport Ministry told the Rajya Sabha that PM-RAHAT, launched nationwide on 13 February 2026, had helped 22,481 victims across 34 States/UTs by 31 July 2026.
- What it is
- PM-RAHAT is a cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, run under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. It aims to cut deaths by ensuring prompt care, especially in the Golden Hour after injury. Claims are handled through State Health Agencies and hospitals designated under the scheme.
- Legal basis
- The scheme rests on Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
- Cover
- Treatment cover is up to Rs 1.5 lakh per victim, for a maximum of 7 days from the date of accident, on any category of road.
- Designated hospitals
- Empanelled AB PM-JAY hospitals that follow National Health Authority guidelines count as designated hospitals under the scheme.
- 112 link
- The scheme is linked to the 112 Emergency Response Support System so a victim or Good Samaritan can find the nearest designated hospital and get an ambulance.
- Stabilisation treatment
- Up to 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases and up to 48 hours in life-threatening cases, subject to police response.
- Funding
- Hospitals are reimbursed through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. General insurers fund insured cases; the budget funds uninsured and hit-and-run cases.
- Platforms
- The scheme merges eDAR (used by police) and the NHA's TMS 2.0 (used by hospitals).
- Governance
- District Road Safety Committees monitor at district level; the State Road Safety Council is the nodal agency in each State/UT; an Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee oversees nationally.
- Coverage
- Every eligible victim on any category of road gets cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for 7 days from the accident.
- Stabilisation and police check
- Stabilisation care runs up to 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases and 48 hours in life-threatening cases, subject to police authentication.
- Digital backbone
- The MoRTH eDAR platform is linked with the National Health Authority's TMS 2.0.
- Who pays hospitals
- Payment is made from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. Insured cases draw on general insurers' contributions; uninsured and hit-and-run cases are paid from the Union budget.
- Claim timeline
- Claims approved by the State Health Agency are paid within 10 days.
- Approval
- The Prime Minister approved the launch of the PM RAHAT scheme.
- Legal base
- It operates under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
- Delivery
- Claims go through State Health Agencies and designated hospitals.
Don’t confuse with PM-RAHAT vs AB PM-JAY: AB PM-JAY is a health insurance scheme for poor families; PM-RAHAT covers road accident victims regardless of income, though it uses PM-JAY hospitals.
Don’t confuse with eDAR vs TMS 2.0: eDAR is the police accident reporting platform. TMS 2.0 is the NHA platform used by hospitals for treatment and claims.
Don’t confuse with PM RAHAT vs Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: PM-JAY is a health insurance scheme for eligible poor families. PM RAHAT covers road accident victims regardless of income, on any road.
Don’t confuse with Good Samaritan protections: Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan) protections shield helpers from harassment. PM RAHAT funds the victim's treatment.
Don’t confuse with PM-RAHAT vs Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: PM-JAY is a general hospitalisation insurance for poor families. PM-RAHAT is limited to road accident victims.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Cashless care in the Golden Hour can cut road deaths and spare families from payment delays.
- Cashless care in the Golden Hour can reduce deaths from road accidents.
- A statutory scheme gives a legal right to treatment regardless of insurance status or road type.
- Quick treatment in the Golden Hour can avert many preventable deaths; the release says nearly 50% could be averted with hospital admission in the first hour.
- Assured payment within 10 days removes hospitals' fear of unpaid emergency care.
- Integrating 112, eDAR and TMS 2.0 builds a single digital emergency response chain.
- Cashless care in the Golden Hour can reduce road deaths.
Problems
- Many cases were discharged from the scheme because police did not respond within the timelines, and some life-threatening cases were found ineligible by police.
- Uptake is uneven: Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh account for most cases.
- Treatment depends on police response on eDAR within 24 or 48 hours.
- Availability of designated hospitals near accident sites varies across States.
- Enough designated hospitals and ambulances are needed, especially in rural and highway areas.
- Police authentication timelines may strain capacity and delay claims.
- The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund needs steady funding from insurers and the Union budget.
- Hospitals may delay care or reject claims, and awareness is low.
Way forward
- Tighten police response timelines and link e-DAR with hospital systems.
- Designate more hospitals and penalise denial of treatment.
- Expand designation of hospitals and ambulance links via 112 ERSS.
- Enforce the 10-day payment timeline and monitor grievances at district level.
- Widen the network of designated trauma-capable hospitals and strengthen ambulance response under 112.
- Train police and hospitals on the digital system and monitor claim timelines.
- Spread awareness among citizens and Rah-Veers about 112 and cashless entitlement.
- Pay hospitals promptly and train first responders.
Put in your answer
Hospital payment timeline: Payments are due within 10 days of State Health Agency claim approval.
Digital trail: A complete digital trail runs from 112 ERSS accident reporting to final payment.
Golden Hour data point: Studies cited by the Government say nearly 50% of road accident deaths can be averted with hospital admission within the first hour.
PM RAHAT cover: Cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh for accident victims.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Single answer
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
With reference to the PM-RAHAT scheme for road accident victims, consider the following statements: 1. It rests on a legal mandate under Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. 2. It provides treatment cover of up to Rs 1.5 lakh per victim, for a maximum of 7 days from the date of accident. 3. It applies only to accidents on National Highways. 4. Hospitals empanelled under AB PM-JAY that comply with National Health Authority guidelines are deemed designated hospitals under it. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Which of the statements given above are correct?
True or false?
1 of 21
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.PM-RAHAT was launched under a legal mandate in Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
True. Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the legal basis.
2.The treatment cover is limited to a maximum of 7 days from the date of accident.
True. The cap is 7 days from the date of accident.
3.The scheme covers victims only of accidents on National Highways.
False. Cover applies on any category of road.
4.Hospitals empanelled under AB PM-JAY that comply with NHA guidelines are deemed designated hospitals under the scheme.
True. Compliant AB PM-JAY hospitals are deemed designated.
5.The Golden Hour is the period of one hour following a traumatic injury.
True. Golden Hour is the one hour after traumatic injury when prompt care most likely prevents death.
6.The PM-RAHAT scheme is notified under Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
True. Section 162 of the MV Act, 1988 is the legal basis.
7.Treatment cover under the scheme is up to ₹1.5 lakh per victim, subject to a maximum of 7 days from the date of accident.
True. ₹1.5 lakh and 7 days cap.
8.Reimbursement to hospitals is made from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, with budgetary support for uninsured and hit-and-run cases.
True. MVAF is funded by general insurers for insured vehicles and by the budget for uninsured and hit-and-run cases.
9.The scheme integrates the police's eDAR platform with the Transaction Management System of the National Health Authority.
True. eDAR and NHA's TMS 2.0 are combined.
10.Stabilisation treatment is provided for up to 48 hours in non-life-threatening cases and up to 24 hours in life-threatening cases.
False. It is up to 24 hours for non-life-threatening cases and up to 48 hours for life-threatening cases.
11.The State Road Safety Council acts as the nodal agency for the scheme in each State or Union Territory.
True. The SRSC is the nodal agency at State/UT level.
12.Under the scheme, AB PM-JAY empanelled hospitals cannot be designated hospitals, as the scheme runs separately from it.
False. AB PM-JAY empanelled hospitals complying with NHA guidelines are deemed designated hospitals.
13.The scheme covers cashless treatment for road accident victims only on National Highways.
False. It covers victims on any category of road.
14.Cashless treatment is available up to ₹1.5 lakh per victim for up to 7 days from the date of accident.
True. ₹1.5 lakh per victim, 7 days.
15.Police confirmation is required within 24 hours for life-threatening cases and 48 hours for non-life-threatening cases.
False. 24 hours for non-life-threatening cases and 48 hours for life-threatening cases.
16.The scheme links the eDAR platform of MoRTH with the Transaction Management System (TMS 2.0) of the National Health Authority.
True. eDAR is integrated with NHA's TMS 2.0.
17.In hit-and-run and uninsured vehicle cases, hospitals are reimbursed from contributions by general insurance companies.
False. These cases are paid through a Government of India budgetary allocation.
18.Grievances are handled by an officer nominated by the District Road Safety Committee, chaired by the District Collector or Magistrate.
True. A Grievance Redressal Officer is nominated by the District Road Safety Committee.
19.Claims approved by the State Health Agency are to be paid to hospitals within 10 days.
True. Payment within 10 days of approval.
20.PM RAHAT provides cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh to accident victims.
True. The cover is up to ₹1.5 lakh, cashless.
21.The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund loan target announced alongside was doubled from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore.
True. The target was doubled to ₹2 lakh crore.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
10 marks · 150 words
The Union Government has approved the PM RAHAT scheme, which gives cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh for 7 days to road accident victims on any category of road, funded through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. Discuss the key provisions of the scheme and examine the challenges in implementing it to reduce road accident deaths in India.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.