No needy patient left untreated: Fadnavis extends CM's Relief Fund assistance to drought-hit Maharashtra talukas

The Maharashtra government has decided to extend the Chief Ministers Relief Fund CMRF assistance cell to the taluka level to ensure timely medical treatment and financial assistance for needy patients in droughthit areas Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has approved the move which will also involve the appointment of dedicated medical officers to coordinate healthcare servicesThe General Administration Department issued a government resolution GR on Friday approving the establishment of these cells in all talukas where drought was declared under Trigger1 during the 2026 kharif seasonThe move aims to take the CMRF assistance mechanism closer to residents of droughtaffected areas and ensure that patients in need are identified and provided medical assistance without delay Health coordination committees will also be constituted at the district and taluka levelsDedicated medical officers to head taluka cellsThe assistance cells will operate from the respective panchayat samiti offices District collectors will appoint an independent medical officer as the head of each cell supported by a clerk and a typist Block Development Officers will be responsible for providing the necessary infrastructure and facilities on priorityThe cells will help patients access existing government healthcare schemes before seeking financial assistance from the CMRFEligible patients will first be facilitated treatment under schemes such as Ayushman Bharat Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana Labour Department schemes and treatment facilities at charitable hospitalsApplications of patients who are not eligible under these schemes will be forwarded through affiliated hospitals via the online system for approval The assistance cells will guide patients through the application processThe cell heads will also identify needy patients through subdistrict and rural hospitals primary health centres subcentres and Accredited Social Health Activist ASHA workers They will be responsible for ensuring that no patient is deprived of treatmentCommittees at district and taluka levelsA talukalevel committee will be headed by the local Member of Legislative Assembly MLA with the SubDivisional Officer Revenue serving as its cochairperson The tehsildar Block Development Officer taluka health officer medical superintendent and representatives of the Indian Medical Association and Chemists and Druggists Association will be members The head of the assistance cell will serve as the member secretaryAt the district level the guardian minister will chair the committee while the district collector will serve as its cochairperson The District Health Officer will be the member secretary Two social workers from the medical field will also be appointed as nongovernment membersHealth experts to support medical campsThe government will seek support from health experts associated with the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences Indian Medical Association Maharashtra Medical Council local medical associations and private hospitalsHealth camps will be organised in droughtaffected areas to provide patients with medicines and medical treatmentBoth district and talukalevel committees will be required to hold at least two meetings every month They will identify remote areas densely populated regions and locations with inadequate healthcare facilities to prioritise medical interventionsThe committees will also review illnesses linked to drinking water and heat and plan health camps mobile medical teams and services of specialist doctors Special attention will be given to women children senior citizens and people living with diabetes and hypertensionReports to be submitted to MantralayaThe talukalevel cells will submit daily reports on their activities and medical camps to the districtlevel cells The district cells will consolidate reports received from all talukas and forward them to the CMRF cell at MantralayaExplaining the objective behind the decision Rameshwar Naik head of CMRF and Charitable Hospitals Assistance Cell said the initiative was aimed at making the relief fund mechanism more accessible to the publicHe further stated that the expansion would help identify needy patients in droughtaffected areas in a timely manner and facilitate appropriate medical treatment and financial assistance It would also ensure better coordination between existing healthcare schemes and assistance from the CMRF wherever necessaryThe primary objective he said was to ensure that no needy patient was deprived of medical treatment due to financial constraints