NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has decided to implement the Centre’s ‘Rah-Veer’ scheme in the national capital, under which citizens who assist seriously injured road accident victims will receive a cash reward of Rs 25,000 along with a certificate of appreciation, officials said.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said the scheme has been introduced to encourage humanitarian action and enable citizens to help accident victims without fear. She noted that the initiative is aimed at motivating people to assist the injured promptly and demonstrate compassion.
The primary objective of the scheme is to ensure that seriously injured road accident victims receive timely medical attention within the ‘golden hour’, which is considered critical for saving lives. Authorities believe that greater public participation can significantly reduce fatalities caused by accidents.
Officials said that many people hesitate to help accident victims due to fear of legal complications or police procedures. However, the scheme seeks to remove such apprehensions by providing legal protection and financial incentives, encouraging citizens to come forward and assist those in need.
“In a metropolis like Delhi, where thousands of vehicles ply daily, timely medical assistance within the golden hour can make the difference between life and death. With financial incentives and legal protection, more people will be encouraged to transport injured victims to hospitals,” the CM said.
The scheme is aligned with the Good Samaritan Rules under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, which provide legal protection to individuals who voluntarily assist accident victims. The Centre has supplemented these provisions with financial incentives to further boost public participation.
Under the scheme, any individual who ensures that a seriously injured victim is taken to a hospital or trauma centre within the golden hour will be eligible for the `25,000 reward. Even if multiple victims are saved in a single accident, the maximum reward will remain `25,000 per incident. Additionally, ten outstanding Rah-Veers will receive a national award of `1 lakh annually, the officials said.