The PM-RAHAT scheme has formally begun in Telangana, offering cashless medical treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh per road accident victim for a maximum of seven days, but only 469 hospitals have enrolled so far, according to a review led by Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju.
Jaju reviewed the implementation with district collectors, superintendents of police and transport officials through a video conference at the Secretariat on Saturday. He directed district authorities to ensure that all eligible network hospitals were enrolled so accident victims could receive immediate treatment during the critical golden hour.
The scheme, formally known as Prime Minister-Road Accident Victim Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment, was launched by the Centre on February 13, 2026. It covers road accidents on national, state and local roads and enables victims to access emergency assistance and ambulance services by calling 112, the Emergency Response Support System.
Jaju said prompt admission to the nearest hospital after an accident was crucial to saving lives. The implementation review focused on ensuring that hospitals could provide treatment without requiring victims or their families to arrange immediate payment during the emergency response period.
Telangana has more than 1,000 hospitals empanelled under the Aarogyasri scheme, but just 469 had enrolled under PM-RAHAT at the time of the review. The gap means district administrations will have to expand hospital participation if the scheme is to provide broad coverage across the state, particularly for victims who need treatment close to the accident location.
Hospitals participating in PM-RAHAT will have to comply with prescribed procedures, including requirements linked to police investigations, the Chief Secretary said. The process will therefore require coordination between hospitals, police departments, transport officials, district administrations and the Aarogyasri system.
The financial arrangement could also reduce pressure on Telangana’s state-funded healthcare programme. Jaju said the Centre could provide at least ₹100 crore annually to Telangana towards treatment under PM-RAHAT, easing the burden on the state government’s Aarogyasri scheme. The article does not specify the final annual allocation or the conditions attached to the funding.
The review was attended by Transport Commissioner K. Ilambarithi, Health Secretary Dr Christina Zongthu and Aarogyasri CEO Zendage Hanumant Kondiba. District collectors and senior police and transport officials are responsible for taking forward hospital enrolment and implementation procedures across the state.
