BHUBANESWAR: It is a cashback opportunity for those, who were fined Rs 100 for any road rule violation under the motor vehicles (MV) act in Keonjhar district. In a first in the country, the Keonjhar district police have launched an initiative to pay Rs 100 cash reward and give an appreciation certificate to those, who obey road rules and drive properly.“We started the novel initiative on Saturday and so far given the cash incentive and certificates to at least 50 good riders or drivers in the last two days. We will use the road safety fund to pay the money to the good riders,” district superintendent of police (Keonjhar) Jay Narayan Pankaj told TOI.The district police chief said the purpose of awarding good riders is aimed at sensitising people to obey road safety norms and minimise accidents. It has been a standard practice across the country to target rash drivers and penalize them. “We thought of giving due recognition to good drivers. This is first time in the country that police are paying cash incentive to good drivers,” Pankaj said.According to the initiative, the police conduct random checking on roads and examine if the driver possesses valid transport documents (driving licence and vehicle insurance), uses seat belt, biker wears helmet, sticks to speed limit, is not drunk or intoxicated and not talking on cellphone while driving. “We have inspectors-in-charge (IICs) of police stations to examine those criteria to choose the good rider or driver. The cash incentive will be paid on the spot. Since it is not possible to check each and every rider or driver every day, we will conduct the checking randomly at different places,” said Pankaj, who in June last year appealed prominent temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras in the district to sensitise visitors to use helmets and seat belts.Total 316 persons died in road accidents in mineral-rich Keonjhar district in 2018. At least 312 and 254 people had died in 2017 and 2016 respectively. While the cash reward for good riders in confined to Keonjhar district, regional transport officers and police across Odisha currently pay Rs 2,000 cash reward under the Good Samaritan policy to people, who shift accident victims to hospitals.“I was jittery when the police stopped me and asked me to show my driving licence and bike insurance paper. Then I underwent breathalyser test. When I cleared all tests, the police gave me a Rs 100 note and a certificate. I never expected to be rewarded for riding well,” said Sanjeev Pradhan, a biker.

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