India fines ambulance operators ₹20 per minute and mandates GPS
Big changes are coming to India's ambulance system: now, if an ambulance shows up late, the operator gets fined ₹20 for every minute of delay.
There are extra penalties if they miss daily travel targets or don't have the right equipment.
Plus, all ambulances must use real-time GPS tracking connected to the 112 emergency helpline, so help can reach people faster.
India to get 3,800 electric ambulances
Old ambulances that are 15 years old or older will be scrapped as part of a modernization push, and 3,800 new electric ambulances are on the way under the ₹500 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme.
Operators need to keep at least 95% of their fleet running almost every day.
If they don't follow these standards or fail to provide qualified staff, more fines will be taken from their monthly payments, all aimed at making emergency care quicker and more reliable.