Context: Recently, the Uttar Pradesh transport department has decided to spread awareness on ‘Rah-Veer’ initiative, which aims to motivate the general public to help the road accident victims in emergency situation.
- The department will print pamphlets and stickers for wider publicity of the scheme.
- It will also print a form to apply under the scheme and distribute it to the hospitals.
About ‘Rah-veer’ scheme:
- Objective: The scheme was launched to provide legal protection to persons helping road accident victims in emergency situations and to inspire and motivate others to save innocent lives.
- It was initiated in 2020, as ‘Good Samaritan’ scheme with the prescribed cash award of Rs 5,000.
- Relaunched in April 2025 by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) as ‘Raah-Veer’, after the original amount failed to achieve the desired impact.
- Nodal agency: Transport department
- The major responsibility of implementing the scheme rests with the health department.
- Financial Assistance: A cash award of Rs 25,000 is awarded to a person who helps the road accident victim in reaching hospitals within the ‘golden hour’.
- A ‘Rah-Veer’ can be awarded a maximum of five times a year for assisting road accident victims.
- Definition of Golden hour: As per Motor Vehicle Act section 2(12A),”golden hour” means the time period lasting one hour following a traumatic injury during which there is highest likelihood of preventing death by providing prompt medical care.
- Definition of Serious Accident: A serious accident, under the scheme, is any road accident involving a motor vehicle that has led to the victim’s surgery or a minimum of three days of hospitalisation.
- Major Guidelines: Every hospital and health centre, govt and private, has to maintain a record of the person bringing the road accident victim for treatment.
- Hospitals have to certify the nature of the injury, and the police have to verify the accident details to prevent the scheme’s misuse.