Eight citizens were honoured with the Rahveer Award for saving road accident victims during the golden hour. The initiative, led by the Transport Minister, promotes road safety, humanitarian action, and public participation in life-saving emergency response.
In a landmark step towards promoting humanitarian responsibility and road safety awareness, State Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday felicitated eight citizens with the newly introduced ‘Rahveer’ award, a central government initiative aimed at encouraging timely assistance to road accident victims.
The felicitation ceremony was held during the 17th State Road Safety Council meeting at the Secretariat conference hall, marking the first time in the state’s history that individuals have been officially honoured for selfless acts of rescuing and providing immediate medical help to accident victims during the critical golden hour.
The eight awardees — Babulal Debnath, Titu Dutta, Uttam Pal, Shyamal Das, Santosh Das, Biswajit Choudhury, Jayanta Sinha, and Mingchung Nonga — were recognised for their courageous and compassionate actions that helped save lives by ensuring victims received medical attention without delay. Each recipient was presented with a certificate of honour and a cash award of ₹25,000.
Addressing the gathering, Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for introducing the Rahveer scheme, calling it a transformative initiative in India’s road safety framework.
“The Rahveer project is a recognition of humanity, civic duty, and social responsibility. It encourages ordinary citizens to step forward in extraordinary situations and ensures that precious lives are not lost due to hesitation or delayed medical care,” Chowdhury said.
He stressed that road accidents should no longer be viewed as isolated personal tragedies but as a serious national concern. According to the minister, the loss of human lives and the long-term economic and emotional impact on families make road accidents one of the most pressing public safety challenges in the country.
“Every life saved strengthens our nation. When citizens act responsibly and compassionately, they become partners in governance and guardians of public welfare,” he added.
The minister further highlighted that fear of legal complications often discourages people from helping accident victims. The Rahveer initiative aims to remove that hesitation by formally recognising and rewarding good Samaritans who act in the interest of humanity.
Senior officials from various departments attended the meeting, reflecting the government’s coordinated approach to road safety and public welfare. Among those present were Finance Secretary Apurba Roy; Special Secretary of the Food Department Debapriya Bardhan; Additional Secretary of the Transport Department Subrata Chowdhury; Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Munchak Ippar; Traffic Superintendent Kanta Jangir; Director of the Food Department Sumit Lodh; Director of Higher Education Animesh Debbarma; and Joint Secretary of the Transport Department Maitri Debnath, along with representatives from other key departments.
During the event, a senior cabinet member emphasized that road accidents represent a collective loss to the nation, not just to individuals or families. He noted that beyond the tragic loss of human resources, countless families are pushed into financial distress and emotional trauma due to sudden accidents, making road safety a matter of urgent national priority.
He explained that under the Rahveer programme, citizens who transport injured accident victims to hospitals within the golden hour are officially recognised as model citizens. The financial reward and public honour serve not merely as incentives, but as symbols of respect for moral courage and humanitarian values.
Officials also discussed strategies to strengthen road safety enforcement, improve traffic management, and expand public awareness campaigns. The council reviewed ongoing initiatives related to traffic regulation, emergency response systems, and inter-departmental coordination to reduce accident rates across the state.
Experts present at the meeting observed that public participation is a critical pillar of any successful road safety policy. By recognising first responders from the general public, the Rahveer scheme builds trust and fosters a culture of mutual care and responsibility.
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The award ceremony concluded with a renewed commitment from the state government to intensify road safety measures, support good Samaritans, and ensure faster emergency medical response across highways and urban roads.
The Rahveer initiative is expected to inspire more citizens to act decisively and compassionately during road accidents, reinforcing the message that saving a life is the highest form of public service.
