NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to make a scheme by March 14 to provide cashless treatment to victims of road accidents during the golden hour, which is essential to protect lives but is being refused by hospitals for various reasons, including worries about payments.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said that no further time would be given to govt to frame the scheme as Centre was obliged to do it under the Motor Vehicles Act.
“The provision made in Section 162 for framing a scheme for providing cashless treatment in the golden hour seeks to uphold and protect the right to life guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution. Moreover, it is a statutory obligation of the central govt to frame the scheme. More than reasonable time was available to govt to frame the scheme,” it said, adding that once the scheme was implemented, lives of many who succumb to injuries simply because they don’t receive treatment in the golden hour could be saved.
“We, therefore, direct the central govt to make a scheme as expeditiously as possible and, in any event, by March 14, 2025,” the court said.
As it was brought to court’s notice that a concept note circulated by govt on the scheme provides for payment of a maximum amount of Rs 1.5 lakh and treatment will be given for only seven days, the court said, “We find that these two concerns must be addressed while framing the scheme. The scheme must be such that it serves the object of saving lives by providing medical treatment in the golden hour”.
The court noted that a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund was created to provide treatment during the golden hour but the scheme does not exist and 1,662 claimants received compensation between April 1, 2024 and August 31, 2024.
