Govt notifies 8-fold increase in solatium to Rs 2 lakh for death in hit-and-run case

New Delhi: The compensation to the kin of hit-and-run victims will be increased sharply by eight-fold to Rs 2 lakh in case of death from April 1, according to a notification by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry.

The solatium to a person sustaining grievous injuries in a hit-and-run case will increase to Rs 50,000 from the current Rs 12,500. The ministry in the notification issued on February 25 said that the scheme may be called the ‘Compensation to Victims of Hit and Run Motor Accidents Scheme’, 2022 and it shall come into force with effect from April 1, 2022.

A draft scheme was notified by the ministry on August 2, 2021.

The Scheme for Compensation of Hit & Run Accident Victims seeks to enhance ”compensation (from Rs 12,500 to Rs 50,000 for grievous hurt and from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,00,000 for death),” an official statement had said.

”This scheme will supersede the earlier Solatium Scheme, 1989,” it added.

Under the scheme, the ministry has come up with the procedure for detailed investigations of road accidents, Detailed Accident Report (DAR) and its reporting along with timelines for different stakeholders for quick settlements of claims.

The government will set up a Motor Vehicles Accident Fund, which will be used for providing compensation in case of hit and run accidents and treatment for accident victims.

Last year, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told Rajya Sabha that 536 persons were killed and 1,655 persons were injured in accidents categorised as ‘hit and run’ in the national capital in 2019.

According to the latest government data, a total of 3,66,138 road accidents occurred in India during 2020, causing 1,31,714 deaths.