Maharashtra plans dedicated war room for streamlining health schemes

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has announced plans to set up a special 'war room' to integrate health schemes of the Centre and the state, aiming to prevent individuals from availing double benefits.

The 'war room' committee will be led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) and former IAS officer Praveen Pardeshi.

The 12-member committee will include administrative heads of the Public Health, Medical Education, Social Justice, Women and Child Welfare, Law and Judiciary, Labour, Tribal Development, Minority Development and Divyang Welfare departments, along with the head of the Chief Minister's Relief Fund cell and an assistant director, officials said, reports PTI.

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"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis issued directions to set up a dedicated 'war room' to streamline welfare schemes. There are multiple health welfare schemes launched by the Central and state governments. There have been instances where benefits under both the schemes were availed by individuals, which is not permissible. Therefore, the plan is to streamline these schemes by integrating them," a health official said.

To support this initiative, a common toll-free number 18001232211 will be activated to provide aid for all health-related requirements, he added.

The state government already operates a 'war room' to monitor ongoing infrastructure, industrial and social sector projects.

Pardeshi currently serves as chief economic advisor to CM Fadnavis. He is also the co-chair of the governing committee that oversees the Maharashtra data policy.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in a move to strengthen cancer treatment, the Maharashtra cabinet approved a comprehensive cancer care policy. Under this initiative, the government will set up the Maharashtra Cancer Care, Research and Education (MAHACARE) Foundation to oversee and coordinate cancer treatment across 18 hospitals.

The hospitals will be categorised into L1, L2, and L3 centres. While the Tata Memorial Hospital has been designated as the "L1 apex centre", eight hospitals have been identified as L2 centres and nine as L3 centres, covering key cities of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Amravati, the release said.

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