Maharashtra Cabinet approved the implementation of Balasaheb Thackeray Road Accident Insurance Scheme with an annual outlay of Rs 125 crore to provide timely medical and financial aid to the road accident victims during the golden hour i.e. initial 72 hours. In this regard, an expenditure of up to Rs 30,000 will be borne by the State for 74 enlisted medical procedures. The announcement regarding this was made by the state Health Minister Rajeshbhaiyya Tope.

• This scheme has been launched to commemorate the founder of the Shiv Sena and father of the current Chief Minister (CM) of the state Uddhav Bal Thackeray.

• It should be noted that the scheme does not include industrial,railway accidents,and injured in homes.

Key Points regarding scheme:

-The funds for the implementation of the scheme will be made available by the State Health Assurance Society which will then choose the insurance companies.

-The scheme is formulated on the lines of Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana wherein empanelled hospitals treat patients and recover the cost from insurance providers.

-A victim not hailing from Maharashtra will also be considered to get benefit of the scheme.

-Under the scheme, nearest hospitals will treat patients for an initial 72 hours covering treatments costs for intensive care unit (ICU), orthopaedic, stay in hospital, and meals.

– A dedicated helpline will also be set-up for effectively implementing the road accident scheme

-On an average,around 40,000 people get injured and 13,000 die in road accidents in Maharashtra.

Points to be noted:

-India is one of the worst-performing countries in casualties caused due to road accidents.

-Apart from state governments insurance policies regarding accidents there is also an accidental insurance cover by the Centre namely Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) to ensure financial aid to the families of those deceased in road accidents and critically injured people.

Cabinet approval for police constables

The Maharashtra Cabinet also decided to undertake recruitment of 12,528 police constables to boost thousands of unemployed young men and women. • The recruitment will cover 5,297 posts from 2019, 6,726 posts from 2020, and 505 posts for the newly formed Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar police commissionerate.