Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Nov 6: The Maharashtra State Relief and Rehabilitation Department on Friday ordered the establishment of Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) cells in drought-affected talukas, along with district and taluka-level health committees, to ensure timely healthcare access for affected residents.
The decision follows the declaration of drought across 265 talukas after the activation of Trigger-1 during the 2026 Kharif season.
According to a Government Resolution (GR), a CMRF cell will be established in every Panchayat Samiti office in the affected talukas to help needy patients access government healthcare schemes and financial assistance without delay.
The cells will first guide patients towards existing schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana, Labour Department health welfare schemes and benefits available through charitable hospitals.
Patients who are not eligible for regular government schemes will be assisted in submitting online applications through affiliated hospitals to obtain direct financial assistance under the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
District Collectors will appoint a dedicated Medical Officer to head each taluka-level CMRF cell. The Block Development Officer (BDO) will assign clerical and data-entry staff to support its functioning.
To oversee the implementation of healthcare measures, the government has prescribed a two-tier committee structure comprising Taluka-Level Health Committees and District-Level Health Committees.
The Taluka-Level Health Committee will be chaired by the MLA of the respective constituency, with the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) as Co-Chairperson and the head of the taluka CMRF cell as Member Secretary.
Its members will include the Tehsildar, BDO, Chief Officer of the Municipal Council or Nagar Panchayat, Taluka Health Officer, Medical Superintendent of the Sub-District or Rural Hospital, two non-official social workers, and representatives of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Maharashtra State Chemists and Druggists Association.
At the district level, the committee will be chaired by the District Guardian Minister, while the District Collector will serve as Co-Chairperson and the District Health Officer as Member Secretary.
Its members will include the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad, Municipal Commissioner or Chief Officer, Dean of the Government Medical College, District Civil Surgeon, Joint or Deputy Charity Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, district coordinators for Jan Arogya Yojana and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), representatives of the IMA and Druggists Association, two social workers and the head of the district CMRF cell.
Both district and taluka-level committees have been directed to hold review meetings at least twice a month.
According to the GR, the committees will organise medical check-up camps, deploy mobile medical units, ensure the availability of specialist doctors and coordinate measures to tackle heat-related and waterborne diseases arising from drought conditions.
Special attention will be given to women, children, senior citizens and patients suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.
The taluka-level CMRF cells will submit daily reports on their activities and updates on health camp implementation to the district cells. The district cells will consolidate the information and forward it directly to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund Cell at Mantralaya.