Mumbai, Nov 21 (NationPress) In a significant move to enhance the state's healthcare infrastructure, the Maharashtra government has announced its decision to allocate land for Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals at no cost and without tax exemptions.

State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that this initiative is aimed at fortifying the healthcare network in Maharashtra, addressing delays in hospital construction that often arise due to prohibitive land prices or scarcity, and ensuring that high-quality medical treatment is readily available to the workforce close to their residences.

The land will be transferred under the 'Occupancy Class-II' category. This essential classification prohibits the ESIC from selling the land or utilizing it for commercial endeavors, thereby ensuring its dedication to public healthcare, as Minister Bawankule elaborated.

As per the government’s directive, the Revenue Department will have the authority to sanction land transfers valued up to Rs 1 crore (Occupancy Class-II), while the Finance Department must approve any transfers exceeding this amount.

The state has determined the required land area based on the number of hospital beds and the available Floor Space Index of 1.5 or 2.0.

Specifically, for 500-bed hospitals, an area of 8 to 10 acres will be necessary; 6 to 9 acres for 300-bed facilities; 5 to 7 acres for 200-bed hospitals; and 3 to 5 acres for 100-bed hospitals, as indicated by the government.

This decision builds on the State Cabinet's June 2025 resolution to allocate 15 acres of 'Gairan' (grazing land) free of charge for a 200-bed ESIC hospital in Karodi, located in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. The same regulations will now be uniformly applied across Maharashtra wherever ESIC hospitals are proposed, contingent upon the availability of government land, as mentioned by Minister Bawankule.

He further mentioned that this policy is anticipated to significantly expedite the development of essential healthcare infrastructure for the extensive workforce covered under the ESIC scheme in Maharashtra.

According to sources from the Revenue Department, the initiative to provide land at no cost for ESIC hospitals will primarily benefit significant industrial and labor centers, including Pune-Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik, Palghar, and Raigad, where new hospitals are either proposed or existing services are overwhelmed by high patient volumes.

Currently, there are 15 operational ESIC hospitals within the state.