Mumbai, October 20 (IANS). The Maharashtra government has taken the important step of setting up a ‘war room’ to integrate various health schemes of the state. This initiative has been launched on the instructions of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which will ensure free or concessional treatment to needy patients.
The war room will function under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and Charitable Hospital Help Desk. Praveen Pardeshi, CEO of Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra) and former IAS officer, has been entrusted with the responsibility of setting up and running it. This step will prove to be a milestone in making health services in the state streamlined, transparent and prompt.
Several health schemes running in the state such as Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJGRAY), Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Rajiv Gandhi Jyoti Yojana and Maharashtra State Relief Fund are benefiting lakhs of citizens.
Under these schemes, assistance ranging from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh is provided for serious treatment like cancer, heart disease, kidney transplant. However, recent data has revealed that in some cases the same patient is availing the benefits of two or more schemes, leading to misuse of government funds.
According to a report, complaints of dual eligibility were registered in more than 15 percent of the cases last year, resulting in crores of rupees being wasted. War Room will solve this problem, where the database of all the schemes will be integrated and there will be real-time monitoring.
For the convenience of citizens, a common toll-free number 1800 123 2211 has been issued. By calling this number, patients will get immediate information about all the schemes, application process, eligibility check and complaint redressal. The war room will track all applications online, which will increase transparency.
“This war room will integrate health services. We will prevent duplicate claims through a digital platform and deliver assistance to genuine beneficiaries,” said Praveen Pardeshi, CEO of Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (Mitra).
As a result of this initiative, health coverage in Maharashtra, a state with a population of 11 crore, could reach above 80 percent.
For this initiative, a 12-member high level committee has been constituted in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. The committee is chaired by Praveen Pardeshi, while the members include Additional Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of the departments of Public Health, Medical Education, Social Justice, Women and Child Development, Labour, Tribal Development, Minority Development, Disabled Welfare and Law and Justice.
–IANS
SCH/AS
