1.5L road fatalities a year in India, highest globally
Concerned about road fatalities, the government said on Monday that India has the highest number of fatalities in the world, with 1.5 lakh deaths each year. Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said in the Rajya Sabha that plans are in the works to make roads safer by removing black spots on national and state highways. Elders also raised the issue of the rising number of cancer cases in India, calling for immediate and effective action to address the problem. A request was also made to remove the GST on cancer medications. In response to a question about accidents, Gadkari stated, "This is a truly tragic subject. Many people do not die as a result of war or Covid. Every year, 1.5 lakh people die, making us the deadliest country in the world. We must work on it." Gadkari also stated that it was unfortunate that 65 percent of those who died each year were between the ages of 18 and 45.He informed the House that the government will soon implement a Rs 7,500-crore scheme with World Bank assistance to address the issue and reduce accident-prone and black spots on national and state highways. Asserting the government's concern, he stated, "We have urged the World Bank to implement this programme across the country."