Sources in the industry pointed out that the MoRTH has already transferred around Rs 450 crore , mobilised by the general insurers to be spent in `golden hour’ treatment, to its own account so that it can implement the scheme directly without involving the insurers
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday has taken the Centre to task for not implementing an emergency cashless medical treatment scheme -“golden hour” (to be undertaken for the victims in the first 60 minutes of any serious road accident) yet.
The apex court had previously set a deadline of March 14 for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways(MoRTH) to operationalise the scheme.
The apex court also highlighted that Section 162(2) of the amended Motor Vehicles Act obligates insurance providers to offer cashless emergency care to accident victims — an obligation that has yet to be fulfilled.
The Act stipulates that upto Rs 1.50 lac, spent on each victim of road accidents, can be reimbursed to the hospital where the victim is taken for the immediate treatment.
In a new order, the Bench, comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, summoned senior government officials, including the Secretary of the MoRTH, to appear before it on April 28 and explain the “default.”
“Time granted to the government expired on March 14… this is a very serious breach and violation of an order of this court and failure to implement a very beneficial provision,” the top court observed.
“We are making it very clear. We will issue a notice of contempt if we find that no progress is made. People are losing their lives because there is no treatment,” Justice Oka added.
Justice Oka further remarked, “It has been our long experience. Only when we get top government officials here do they take the orders of the court seriously. Otherwise they won’t take it.”
In January, the top court had instructed the government to devise a framework for immediate medical assistance for road accident victims, with emphasis on the golden hour and situations where the injured may lack support from family or acquaintances to bear the treatment expenses.
The Bench pointed out that delays often occur because bystanders, law enforcement, and even medical institutions hesitate to act, especially when high treatment costs are involved. This inaction, the court said, jeopardises lives.
The government had initially introduced the idea of cashless treatment for accident victims, especially during the golden hour, in December 2023.
Sources in the industry pointed out that the MoRTH has already transferred around Rs 450 crore, mobilised by the general insurers to be spent in `golden hour’ treatment, to its own account so that it can implement the scheme directly without involving the insurers.