LOK SABHA
The Committee on Road Safety and Traffic Management constituted under the Chairmanship of Shri S. Sundar, former Secretary, the then Ministry of Surface Transport submitted its report to the Government of India on 20.2.2007. The main recommendations of the Committee include creation of National Road Safety & Traffic Management Board through an Act of the Parliament. The Board would have advisory as well as regulatory functions. Under regulatory functions the Board would set standards for the motor vehicles, and set standards for designing roads. In its advisory role, the Board will assist Central Government in the matters relating to road safety and traffic management and would promote road safety research, road user behaviour strategies, lay guidelines for establishing medical care and rehabilitation etc. Enabling provision has been proposed for creation of similar bodies at State level. The Committee has also recommended earmarking of atleast 1% of the total proceeds of cess on diesel and petrol for road safety fund. A note has been submitted for consideration of Committee of Secretaries (CoS).
During 2006-07, out of the budget provision of Rs.14.80 crore an amount of Rs. 12.16 crore was spent for procurement of cranes & ambulances under the scheme National Highways Accident Relief Service Scheme (NHARSS).
To improve the driving skills the scheme of Setting up of a Model Training Institute on Driving & Research has been launched in the Tenth Five Year Plan. Under this scheme Central Assistance is provided to State Govts./NGOs for Capital investment for setting up such Institute. So far 13 institutes have been sanctioned out of which 2 institutes at Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh and Sarai Kale Khan, NCT of Delhi have become operational. The details of the sanctioned institutes are as under:
Rs. in lakh
| S.N. | Name of the State/ NGO/ | Central assistance |
| 1 | Assam (Betkuchi) | 394.00 |
| 2 | M/s KDLOA (Vijayawada) | 400.00 |
| 3 | Karnataka (Hagaribommanahalli, Bellary Distt.) | 269.00 |
| 4 | W.B. (Jessore Road, West Bengal) | 328.00 |
| 5 | Himachal Pradesh ( Jassur) | 181.00 |
| 6 | Kerala (Edappal) | 299.00 |
| 7 | IDTR (Sarai Kale Khan), NCT of Delhi | 325.00 |
| 8 | Uttaranchal ( Dehradun) | 325.00 |
| 9 | Uttar Pradesh (Allen Forest, Kanpur) | 339.00 |
| 10 | Orissa (Chandikhole,Jajpur) | 336.00 |
| 11 | Nagaland (Dimapur) | 354.00 |
| 12 | Madhya Pradesh (Indore) | 393.96 |
| 13 | Haryana (Bahadurgarh) | 400.00 |
|
| Total | 4343.96 |
This information was given by the Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Shri K.H. Muniyappa in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
SK/BS