PM RAHAT = Prime Minister – Road Accident Victims' Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment Scheme, a statutory cashless-treatment scheme implemented by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH)[1][3].
Operationalises the long-pending Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (inserted by 2019 amendment) on cashless treatment during the Golden Hour[2][3].
Examinable as a flagship welfare-cum-statutory scheme intersecting GS-II (governance, health/transport policy) and GS-III (infrastructure, road safety) [1].
2. Why in the News
26 Feb 2026: MoRTH held a hybrid high-level stakeholder meeting chaired by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari with MoS Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra to review nationwide rollout readiness [1].
Scheme launched by PM on 13 Feb 2026; sensitisation now focuses on emergency response integration, hospital onboarding and grievance redressal [1][3].
3. Background & Evolution
2019: Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act inserts Section 162 mandating cashless treatment of road accident victims [2].
Mar 2024: MoRTH launched pilot for cashless treatment in Chandigarh, later expanded to additional states [3].
05 May 2025: PM-RAHAT formally notified vide S.O. 2015(E) under Section 162 of MV Act, 1988 [2].
13 Feb 2026: Nationwide launch by Prime Minister[1][3].
26 Feb 2026: Stakeholder sensitisation meeting at MoRTH [1].
4. Core Static Facts
Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH); claims processed via National Health Authority (NHA)[3].
Statutory base: Section 162, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 [2].
Treatment cap: ₹1.5 lakh per victim, up to 7 days from date of accident, on any category of road[3].
Stabilisation window: up to 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases, 48 hours in life-threatening cases, contingent on police authentication via integrated digital system [3].
Hospital network: AB PM-JAY empanelled + NHA-compliant hospitals deemed designated; 36,112 hospitals empanelled under NHA as of 09.03.2026[3].
Emergency response: integration with 112 ERSS; Good Samaritan rebranded as "RAH-VEER"[3].
5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
Legal/Constitutional: Gives effect to Section 162 MV Act, 1988; aligns with Article 21 right to health (SC in Parmanand Katara v. UoI, 1989 — duty to treat emergency cases) [2][3].
Administrative: Multi-agency convergence — MoRTH, NHA, MoHFW, State police, hospitals, insurers; police authentication is the critical bottleneck for stabilisation-window access [1][3].
Social/Ethical: Universal — covers any victim on any road regardless of insurance status, vehicle owned, or fault; protects Good Samaritans (RAH-VEER) from harassment, addressing bystander apathy [3].
Economic: India loses ~3% of GDP annually to road crashes (per MoRTH/World Bank estimates); scheme reduces catastrophic out-of-pocket spend during Golden Hour [1].
6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)
March 2024: Chandigarh pilot for cashless treatment of road crash victims [3].
05 May 2025: Scheme notified under MV Act, 1988 [2].
13 Feb 2026: PM launches PM-RAHAT nationwide [1][3].
26 Feb 2026: Gadkari-chaired stakeholder review meeting on integration, hospital onboarding, grievance redressal [1].
09 Mar 2026: 36,112 NHA-empanelled hospitals available as designated hospitals under the scheme [3].
7. Prelims Hooks
PM RAHAT full form: Prime Minister – Road Accident Victims' Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment [1].
Implementing ministry: MoRTH (NOT MoHFW); claims via NHA[3].
Statutory base: Section 162, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988[2].
Plausible stems:
1. "PM RAHAT operationalises a statutory promise pending since 2019. Examine how its institutional design addresses the Golden Hour challenge in India."
2. "Discuss the legal and administrative framework for protection of Good Samaritans in India in the context of the PM RAHAT scheme."
3. "India's road crash burden is as much a public health crisis as a transport one. Evaluate convergence-based responses like PM RAHAT."
Bharat NCAP — vehicle safety star ratings under MoRTH.
10. Common Errors / Trap Areas
Wrong ministry: Scheme is MoRTH-led, not MoHFW; only claims-processing rides on NHA.
Confusing with hit-and-run scheme: PM RAHAT covers all road accident victims; the separate Compensation to Victims of Hit-and-Run Motor Accidents Scheme, 2022 is distinct.
Section number: Cashless treatment = Sec 162 MV Act; Good Samaritan protection = Sec 134A — do not interchange.
Coverage cap: ₹1.5 lakh / 7 days (not ₹5 lakh like PM-JAY).
Launch year: Pilot in 2024, notified in 2025, launched 13 Feb 2026 — three distinct dates often confused.