The Supreme Court expressed its frustration on Monday over the Central government’s delay in implementing a cashless scheme for the treatment of motor accident victims, highlighting a stark contrast between infrastructure development and public welfare.
During a hearing, Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the government for not adhering to its own January 8 directive to establish the scheme under Section 164A of the Motor Vehicles Act, which has been in force since April 1, 2022. Despite the three-year window provided for its implementation, the Centre has failed to act, nor has it sought an extension.
“You are in contempt. You have not bothered to seek an extension of time. What is this going on? You tell us when will you frame the scheme? You don’t care for your own statutes. This is one of the welfare provisions. Three years this provision has come into place. Are you really working for the welfare of common man?” the bench questioned sharply.
The judges were particularly vocal about the lack of emergency medical facilities for accident victims, juxtaposing it with the rapid construction of extensive highways. “People are dying in road accidents. You are constructing huge highways but people are dying there because there is no facility. There is no scheme for golden hour treatment. What is the use of constructing so many highways?” they added.
The term ‘golden hour’ refers to the critical one-hour period following a traumatic injury, where timely medical intervention is crucial to prevent death.
The secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport, summoned by the court, revealed that a draft scheme had been prepared but faced opposition from the General Insurance Council (GIC), which argued for a provision to check the insurance status of vehicles involved in accidents.
The Supreme Court recorded the secretary’s commitment that the scheme would be enforced within a week and ordered that the notified scheme be placed on record by May 9, with further hearings scheduled for May 13.
