Expecting at least Rs 4,000 cr for health in Maha budget: Tope

The Health department inMaharashtra is expecting a provision of at least Rs 4,000crore in the upcoming state Budget 2021-22 for completing thepending works, minister Rajesh Tope said on Monday.

''As per the guidelines of the Planning Commission, 5per cent of (state) GDP should be allocated for Health, buttill now this allocation never crossed 1 per cent,'' he toldreporters.

The Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature isscheduled to start from March 1.

Tope said that his department would recruit additionalmanpower and was also planning to strengthen health facilitiesin the state by implementing various projects.

''The Health department has launched recruitment tofill 50 per cent of 17,000 vacant posts. We are conductingexams for 8,500 posts. Rest 50 per cent posts will be filledsoon,'' he said, adding that the departments of MedicalEducation and Rural Development have also started hiring.

Tope said the state government was planning toincrease the number of dialysis centres across the state.

''Currently, patients from rural areas have to travelto district headquarters for availing dialysis. We areplanning to set up this facility at the taluka level,'' theminister said, adding that the department is consideringlaunching a programme for cancer patients and also wants toreplace the fleet of ambulances.

''We are expecting funds for these measures (in thestate Budget),'' he added.