Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan) Scheme

Rah-veer (good Samaritan) Scheme

January 5, 2026

Kamaraj IAS Academy

Prelims Plus

Objective: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) aims to reduce road accident fatalities by encouraging bystanders (Rah-Veers) to help victims during the "Golden Hour" (the first 60 minutes after a trauma).
Legal Protections: Under Section 134A of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, a Good Samaritan is protected from civil or criminal liability. They cannot be forced to reveal their identity, be detained at hospitals, or be compelled to attend police stations.
Incentive Structure:
Cash Award: A reward of ₹5,000 (recently proposed/updated in some states to ₹25,000) per incident for saving a life.
Recognition: A Certificate of Appreciation is provided, and the best 10 "Rah-Veers" annually receive a national-level award of ₹1,00,000.
Significance: India has one of the highest road accident rates globally. This scheme addresses the "bystander effect" where people hesitate to help due to fear of legal harassment.