The Government of Maharashtra has approved a major healthcare initiative backed by Rs 3,708 crore in financial assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The decision was cleared by the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, according to IANS.
The programme, titled “Strengthening Tertiary Health Care Delivery, Medical Education System and Nursing System in Maharashtra,” aims to significantly enhance healthcare infrastructure, medical education, and nursing capacity across the state.
The project will focus on upgrading infrastructure and providing advanced medical equipment to government medical colleges, nursing institutions, and affiliated hospitals. Funding support will extend to newly established medical colleges in Wardha, Palghar, Ratnagiri, and Ahilyanagar, while existing nursing colleges will also be strengthened.
As part of the initiative, nursing institutions at GT Hospital and St George’s Hospital in Mumbai, along with facilities in Dhule, Solapur, Ambajogai, Akola, Nagpur, Ratnagiri, Palghar, and Dharashiv, will undergo upgrades. Additionally, new nursing colleges will be set up in Baramati, Sangli (Miraj), and Kolhapur to expand the pool of trained healthcare professionals.
The state will also invest in modern medical equipment for government hospitals across districts such as Ahilyanagar, Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Hingoli, Jalna, Mumbai, Nashik, Parbhani, Satara, Palghar, Ratnagiri, and Wardha. Officials believe this will enhance diagnostic and treatment capabilities, leading to improved public healthcare delivery.
An Indo-Japan Academic Exchange Programme forms a key component of the project, focusing on skill development in hospital management, administration, and clinical practices to bring global expertise into the system.
Alongside healthcare, the cabinet approved sweeping recruitment reforms aligned with the “Viksit Maharashtra 2047” vision. The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) will expand to 102 cadres, with a combined examination system covering 18 additional services and 93 new cadres.
A “No Interview Policy” for non-gazetted Group-B and Group-C posts has also been approved to improve transparency and efficiency. The state will adopt a system similar to the UPSC’s Pratibha Setu and use DigiLocker for paperless verification of documents.
The government also plans to phase out obsolete roles and introduce new positions in emerging sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, aiming to build a future-ready workforce.
Source: Mid-day
