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Gram panchayats in Maharashtra to reserve funds for TB campaign
The directorate of state rural development and panchayat raj office has written to all zilla parishad and panchayats directing the effective implementation of the campaign and making budget allocation for the same
All gram panchayats in Maharashtra have been directed to allocate a budget provision for the PM TB Mukt Panchayat campaign, as part of their efforts towards tuberculosis elimination by 2025.
The budget allocation will further strengthen the campaign and will be evaluated by the end of March, said officials on Friday.
The directorate of state rural development and panchayat raj office, on January 30, wrote to all zilla parishad and panchayats directing the effective implementation of the campaign and making budget allocation for the TB campaign.
In Maharashtra, there are around 28,813 gram panchayats and 1,200 are in Pune district.
“Out of the 1,200 gram panchayats in Pune district, over 56 are on their way towards TB elimination. The evaluation of the campaign will be done in March,” said, Balkrushna Kamble, district TB officer.
Amit Bhandari, director of panchayat raj, said, “Currently, the work to prepare development plans for the financial year 2024-2025 is under process. Budget allocations should be made for the TB Mukt Panchayat Campaign. The directions should be issued to gram panchayats and block development officers.”
“Considering the number of TB patients the budget provision of ₹20k to ₹50k should be made by the respective gram panchayat,” he, said in the letter.
Dr Kailas Baviskar, deputy director of health services, said, the funds will be used for the information education and awareness programme of TB.
“TB patients will be provided travel allowance and nutritional support from these funds. The health workers will be provided financial aid for TB screening tests from this budget. Patients and their kin will be provided benefits of employment and social welfare schemes,” he said.
Maharashtra in October last year rolled out the ‘PM TB Mukt Panchayat’ campaign across the state. It aims at creating awareness regarding TB disease, early diagnosis, and treatment of TB patients, promoting TB detection, and supporting patients and their families.
