29 Jun 2022 Road Safety Loans to States: World Bank
Road Safety Loans to States: World Bank – Today Current Affairs
- Recently the World Bank has approved a loan of US $ 250 million for the India State Assistance Program for Road Safety in seven states, under which a single accident report number to better manage post-accident incidents. (Single Accident Reporting Number) will be established.
Today Current Affairs
World Bank:
- The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were established together in 1944 during the Bretton Woods Conference in New Hampshire, USA.
- The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions working towards sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries.
Member : The Hindu Analysis
- 189 countries are its members.
- India is also its member.
Major Reports : The Hindu Analysis
- Human Capital Index.
- World Development Report.
Its five development institutions : The Hindu Analysis
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
- International Development Association (IDA)
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
- International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
- India is not its member.
Main features of the program : The Hindu Analysis
- The project will establish a national harmonized crash database system to analyze accidents and use it to build better and safer roads.
- The USD 250 million convertible spread loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a maturity period of 18 years including a grace period of 5.5 years.
- It will be implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Target : The Hindu Analysis
- It aims to fund network expansion of basic and advanced life support ambulances and on the spot training of first responder caregivers for road accident victims.
- The project will also provide incentives to states to take advantage of private financing through Public Private Partnership (PPP) concessions and pilot initiatives.
- Women have to bear the brunt of road accidents indirectly. Recognizing this challenge, the project has a gender-specific focus and will promote the representation of women in management roles in the road safety sector.
- The project will also provide employment opportunities for women especially in post-crash care command and control centres.
Road Accident Scenario in India : The Hindu Analysis
- Official government statistics show that about 150,000 people are killed and another 450,000 are injured in road accidents in India every year.
- More than half of the victims are pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists, and about 84% of all deaths are among the working age group of 18-60 years.
- Poor households, which account for more than 70% of accident victims, bear a high proportion of the socio-economic burden of road accidents due to lack of income, high medical expenses and limited access to the social safety net.
Initiatives for Road Safety:
3rd High Level Global Conference on Road Safety 2030 to Achieving Global Goals : The Hindu Analysis
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) participated in a conference in Sweden in the year 2020 (3rd High Level Global Conference on Road Safety 2030 to Achieving Global Goals 2030), where India has set a target of zero road accidents by 2030.
Brasilia Declaration : The Hindu Analysis
- India has signed the Brasilia Declaration and is committed to reducing the mortality rate.
- The Declaration was signed at the 2nd Global High Level Conference on Road Safety held in Brazil.
Motor Vehicles (MV) (Amendment) Act, 2019 : The Hindu Analysis
- It has increased the penalties for traffic violations, faulty vehicles, juvenile driving etc.
- It provides the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, which will provide compulsory insurance cover to all road users in India for certain types of accidents.
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