The Centre will provide seed capital to each state, based on total vehicle numbers, for augmenting road safety activities during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17).
"Fifty per cent of the amount collected...Under Motor Vehicles Act will be credited to this non-lapsable road safety fund, to be used for such area specific road safety activities as approved by State Road Safety Council and District Road Safety Councils," an official statement said today.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has asked all states to assess the current status of institutional mechanisms in the State and submit their requirements to the Centre.
States could request for such funds in consultation with its Road Safety Councils, duly supported by Road Accident Data Management System, it said.
"As per recommendations in the Sunder Committee report, all States will be required to create a road safety fund for carrying out various activities like procurement and deployment of ambulances and cranes, launching of road safety awareness campaigns and setting up Road Safety Councils at state and District levels," the statement said.
The states would also be required to set up web based data system, institutes of Driving Training & Research, Drivers Training Institutes and Information and Communication Centres and training in first aid.
Besides, the states would ensure training of traffic police and enforcement staff, procuring road safety equipment such as breath analysers interceptors and speed radar guns and providing emergency care to accident victims.
A Committee, headed by S Sundar, former Road Secretary, had submitted its recommendations to the government for augmenting security.
