Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, 18 May directed all state departments to accelerate the construction of Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Critical Care Blocks, and Integrated Public Health Laboratories within stipulated deadlines, as the state government intensifies its drive to deliver quality and accessible healthcare to citizens across Maharashtra. The directives came during a high-level review conducted through the Chief Minister's War Room, established to monitor social sector scheme implementation.

Key Developments from the War Room Review

The meeting covered a wide sweep of health infrastructure initiatives, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), health infrastructure strengthening under the 15th Finance Commission, the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), the establishment of 13 new medical colleges, and the HPV vaccination campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevent cervical cancer.

CM Fadnavis noted that while initial delays had been reported, district-level performance had since improved. However, he flagged that some districts still lagged and warned that all commitments made during the meeting had been formally recorded for follow-up at the next War Room session.

What the Chief Minister Said

'It is essential that the funds received from the Central Government are utilised within the stipulated timeframe. Therefore, all District Collectors should personally monitor and expedite the construction of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Critical Care Blocks and Integrated Public Health Laboratories,' Fadnavis said.

He stressed the need to overhaul the perception of government hospitals, calling for improvements in quality, cleanliness, and branding. 'Every officer must take ownership of their work so that citizens can experience a visible improvement in the quality of the government healthcare system,' he added. Fadnavis also encouraged officials to adopt modular construction technology to enable faster, high-quality project delivery, citing the transformation of a primary health centre in Pune as a replicable model.

On inter-departmental coordination, he was unambiguous: 'Do not keep issues pending; increase follow-up action.' He directed that unresolved bottlenecks be escalated immediately — through the Head of Department, Secretary, Chief Secretary, Minister, or the Chief Minister — rather than allowed to stall progress.

HPV Vaccination: Maharashtra's 10 Lakh Target

Maharashtra has been assigned a target of vaccinating nearly 10 lakh girls under the national HPV vaccination campaign. CM Fadnavis directed officials to conduct extensive district-level awareness drives and secure parental consent to meet the target. This campaign is part of a broader national push to reduce cervical cancer incidence among adolescent girls.

Medical Colleges and Infrastructure Bottlenecks

Construction is currently underway on 13 new medical colleges in the state. Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif flagged that hospital construction at certain sites had been delayed due to Public Works Department (PWD) norms, and called for decisions on necessary modifications to be taken at the appropriate level without further delay. He also noted that at some completed sites, basic facilities such as drinking water supply and roads remained pending, urging District Collectors to address these gaps urgently.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde confirmed that Ayushman Arogya Mandir and medical college projects were being fast-tracked. 'Strengthening healthcare facilities is the government's core objective. The upgradation of Primary Health Centres will provide better facilities to citizens in both rural and urban areas. In addition, medical college projects will help increase healthcare manpower,' Shinde said. He also directed the Urban Development Department to resolve pending matters related to municipal corporations and councils.

PHC Upgradation Progress

Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar reported that 55 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) had been upgraded so far. Older centres under I, O, and G+1 categories have been restructured to I-PHC standards, with focus on infrastructure, branding, and a modern look. 'Expanding the scope of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana to PHCs will ensure better service delivery to citizens,' Abitkar said.

CM Fadnavis noted that Maharashtra's healthcare action plan was developed after studying systems in several states, including Tamil Nadu, and must now be implemented rigorously. The next War Room review will assess whether departments have met the commitments recorded during this session.