Bhubaneswar: The govt has directed the state DGP to take immediate corrective measures as the delayed response by the Odisha police is hampering the implementation of the Centre-sponsored PM-Rahat (Road Accident Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment) scheme.Launched in Odisha in April, the PM-Rahat initiative entitles every road accident victim to cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for seven days from the date of the incident. Official sources said only 380 patients had availed of the benefits under the scheme till July, even as 58 injured accident victims failed to do so as police couldn’t respond within 24 hours of their admission to hospitals.“The number of people availing benefits under the scheme is comparatively lower in the state. In some districts, not even a single accident victim has availed the benefit. In many cases, people could not avail the benefit due to an untimely response by the police,” revealed the minutes of a recent meeting chaired by development commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh.The govt has directed the DGP to issue necessary instructions to all superintendents of police (SPs) and DCPs to ensure that the PM-Rahat cases are verified and approved within 24 hours of the accident.“We have taken note of the matter. Police officers will be sensitised,” a senior police officer said.As per the procedure, timely police action on the govt’s electronic detailed accident report (e-DAR) database is mandatory to enable cashless treatment. Once a patient is admitted to a hospital, the authorities are required to inform the local police. Police personnel then visit the accident site, verify the details and send approval to the hospital through e-DAR within 24 hours.“Officers are required to generate victim IDs and verify hospital requests by approving, rejecting or transferring them through the e-DAR platform,” a transport official said.The primary objective of PM-Rahat is to reduce road accident fatalities by ensuring timely and uninterrupted medical care to victims, particularly during the critical “golden hour” — the first hour following a traumatic injury when prompt medical intervention can significantly improve the chances of survival.The govt has also directed the state transport authority and health department to undertake an adequate publicity campaign about the scheme. The crime branch has been asked to develop a daily monitoring dashboard.“Ambulances and highway patrol vehicles should be strategically positioned at suitable intervals along vulnerable highway stretches to ensure rapid emergency response during the golden hour and improve post-crash care outcomes,” the meeting minutes said.