Submit the State Health Policy Proposal Immediately: Health Minister Prakash Abitkar’s Directive
Our Staff Reporter
Mumbai: In an effort to make the Public Health Department more efficient, people-centric, and transparent, Health Minister Prakash Abitkar has directed officials to urgently submit the draft of the State Health Policy. He issued these instructions during a high-level meeting held at the Swasthya Bhavan.
The meeting, chaired by Minister Abitkar, was attended by Health Secretary Dr. Nipun Vinayak, Secretary Virendra Singh, Commissioner Amgothu Shriranga Nayak, Director Dr. Nitin Ambadekar, Director Vijay Khandewad, Director Dr. Swapnil Lale, and other senior officials.
Key decisions were made to strengthen the state’s healthcare system. Minister Abitkar instructed the early submission of proposals to include contractual employees under the National Health Mission (NHM) into regular government service and to revise their honorarium. He also directed follow-up with the Women and Child Development Department regarding the integration of employees from the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
He emphasized transparency in the transfer of medical officers. Administrative transfers of those who have served for more than eight years should be done based on counselling, followed by transfers on request. Transfers of officers in the S-23 pay grade should be based on their performance reports. Inter-district transfers of Community Health Officers should be completed before May 31, giving them a choice of convenient districts, followed by intra-district transfers.
Minister Abitkar also directed amendments to service rules for Nursing Tutors’ promotions under a 150-day program to be included in the department’s agenda. He instructed that posts for Class-I medical officers be filled immediately through the MPSC.
Further, he emphasized the appointment of a legal firm to draft amendments to the Bombay Nursing Homes Act and other related laws, and insisted that these amendments must be tabled in the upcoming monsoon session.
He also suggested proposals for incentive allowances to Medical Assistance Cell staff and an increased incentive of ₹20 (from ₹5) for ASHA workers for issuing Ayushman Bharat card. He announced plans to establish Medical Assistance Cells in Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Mumbai.
The Public Health Department has been tasked with submitting a 150-day action plan by May 20, 2025. Proposals are to be submitted for launching a “Rural Sanitation and Health Campaign” across the state and for setting up 17 Cancer Day Care Center as announced in the Union Budget. He also stressed launching the “TB-Mukt Panchayat” and “Tobacco-Free School” campaigns.
A proposal for providing special facilities to doctors working in tribal and remote areas was also directed. A supplementary budget proposal of ₹44 crore should be submitted to the Finance Department by May 31 for establishing new laboratories similar to the NIV model. Minister Abitkar also instructed officials to explore the availability of 50 acres of land, including near an airport, in Kolhapur or Pune for the PM Med-City program.
He directed that all budget-related supplementary proposals and provisions sanctioned in the 2025 budget be submitted promptly to the Finance Department by May 31.