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UN Launched Road Safety Financing Project in Four Indian States
Why in News?
The United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) has launched a Sustainable Road Safety Financing Project in India, aiming to strengthen financial mechanisms and capacity for road safety interventions in selected states.
- The project was inaugurated in New Delhi during the visit of the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt.
Key Points:
- Objective: The initiative aims to establish sustainable and coordinated financing mechanisms for road safety programmes at national and state levels.
- The project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), WHO, UNICEF, and non‑profits like the Save LIFE Foundation to provide technical and policy support.
- Focus States: The financing project is being rolled out in four Indian states — Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Assam — to build capacity for implementing effective road safety action plans.
- Need: India records a high number of road traffic fatalities each year, with road accidents imposing significant health, social, and economic costs, including an estimated loss of around 3 % of GDP due to crashes.
- Sustainable Financing Strategies: The project promotes innovative financing tools such as road safety bonds, dedicated taxes, and public‑private partnerships (PPP) to ensure predictable funding streams for road safety.
- Capacity Building: A core component is strengthening institutional capacity at national and sub‑national levels for planning, budgeting, and monitoring road safety investments.
- Global Alignment: The initiative supports the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030, which seeks to halve road fatalities and serious injuries worldwide by 2030.
| Read More: United Nations, Road Safety , WHO, UNICEF, PPP |
