The Motor Vehicles (Amendment Bill) 2019 that aims to check the rising incidence of road accidents in the country was passed by Rajya Sabha with government’s amendments on Wednesday.
108 votes went in favour and 13 against the Bill.The bill has already been passed by Lok Sabha and will need to go back to the Lower House for approval.It contains provisions for improving the transport scenario in India and has brought in stiff penalties for traffic violations.
Speaking on the bill in Rajya Sabha, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari assured that the Centre does not intend to interfere in the domain of states through the bill.
He said the Centre’s intention is to co-operate with states reform the transport eco-system and reduce road accidents and fatalities.
Parties across the political spectrum articulated their views on the bill.The bill has strict provisions in the interest of road safety.
It imposes stiff penalties for juvenile driving, driving without license, rash driving, drunken driving, over-speeding, among other violations.
The Bill requires the Centre to constitute a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund to provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India.
The fund will be utilised for treatment of persons injured in road accidents for compensation to representatives of those who die in hit and run cases and for compensation to those who are grievously injured in hit and run cases.
The Bill incorporates recommendations of a Group of Transport Ministers of 18 states and of Select Committee of Rajya Sabha.
The bill is necessary in the wake of a high rate of road accidents in the country.India records the highest number of road accidents in the world.
5 lakh road accidents take place in the country every year in which one and a half lakh lives are lost.The government aims to reduce accidents and fatalities by half in 5 years.