Chandigarh, Jan 22 (PTI) Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh on Monday asked the state's private hospitals to be a part of the 'Farishtey' scheme and help save the lives of people involved in road accidents.

"We want to make the maximum use of the golden hour to save lives of road accident victims. Without any discrimination based on nationality, caste, or socio-economic status, the Punjab government will ensure free treatment of all road accident victims at nearby hospitals, including private hospitals," Singh said.

Also Read | No Government Holiday on January 22 in Karnataka: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Says 'CM Siddaramaiah Is Anti-Hindu'.

The golden hour is the first crucial hour after a road accident, during which time if a seriously injured person is given critical care, the chances of survival increase.

Emphasising the need for support from private healthcare institutions, the minister urged hospitals across the state, particularly those providing tertiary and secondary care, to register themselves for the scheme.

Also Read | Explainer on Union Budget of India: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About an Interim Budget.

The minister advised the hospitals to contact their respective district civil surgeons for any registration-related queries.

"Till now, 384 hospitals in the state have got themselves registered under the Farishtey scheme, with 146 being public hospitals and 238 private hospitals," Singh said.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) of Punjab has already become a part of the scheme.

Under the 'Farishtey' scheme, anyone who takes a road accident victim to a hospital for treatment will be honoured and rewarded with Rs 2,000.

Also, there will be no questioning by police or hospital authorities of the person, who brings the road accident victim to a hospital, until and unless the person wants to become an eyewitness.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)