Question : NGOs for Road Safety

(a) whether the Government has reduced the priority of road safety in the country including North East States by ignoring reasonable road safety suggestions from different noted organisations;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;

(c) whether some NGOs are involved in the field of road safety as a group of external stakeholders of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI);

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the work taken by these NGOs and the funds allocated and released to them during the last three years and the current year?

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) & (b): No Sir, the road safety is on topmost priority of the Ministry. The Ministry implements various schemes on road safety such as publicity measures and awareness campaign on Road Safety through electronic and print media to create awareness among road users, setting up institutes for driving training institutes, Setting up of inspection and certification centres, Road Safety week and taken multi-pronged efforts for strengthening automobile safety standards, improving road infrastructure, strengthening enforcement. Besides, the Ministry has also launched a scheme for grant of financial assistance to NGOs for administering “Road Safety Advocacy” in the Financial Year (FY) 2017-18. Under this Scheme, proposals for road safety advocacy programmes through 203 different Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs)/Trusts/Cooperative Societies have been sanctioned in FY 2018-19. Out of these 203 organisations 3 organisations belong to North East India.

(c) & (d): Yes Sir, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have been involving some NGOs to carry out various activities/programmes including the following subjects in the field of road safety:-

(i) Raising road safety consciousness among the road users;

(ii) Organisation of camps for vision testing/distribution of spectacles for the drivers of Commercial Vehicles;

(iii) Publicity campaign on road safety;

(iv) Publication of popular literature on road safety;

(v) Organizing quiz competitions, essay competitions, painting competitions, for school/college students;

(vi) Cultural activities/ events promoting road safety, such as puppet shows/plays;

(vii) Organizing seminars on road safety.

(vii) Good Samaritans.

(viii) Some of the NGOs who have been involved in various road safety activities of NHAI viz. free eye check up camp, road safety awareness campaign etc. during the Road Safety Week in various parts of the country.

(e) No funds has been released by this Ministry to any NGO for Road Safety advocacy during the last three years and the current year till date.

*****