PUNE: The Maharashtra government has directed officials to prepare a proposal for revised and enhanced treatment packages for serious illnesses, including neurosurgery, cancer and orthopaedic procedures among others, under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana (MJPJAY); health minister Prakash Abitkar said on Thursday.
“The government has instructed officials to prepare proposals for increasing treatment packages for serious diseases such as neurosurgery, cancer and orthopaedic procedures under MPJAY so that patients can receive better treatment under the scheme,” Abitkar said.
The state also plans to form a separate committee to frame standard operating procedures (SOPs) for regulating the special corpus fund used to cover high-cost procedures such as heart, liver and bone marrow transplants under the scheme.
The directions were issued during a review meeting of senior officials of the health department and MJPJAY held on Wednesday in Mumbai. The meeting was attended by MLA Ashok Mane, MJPJAY chief executive officer (CEO) Annasahab Chavan, and health directors Dr Nitin Ambadekar and Dr Vijay Kandewad, along with other senior officials.
Public health officials said that hospitals have been advised to explore memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for advanced diagnostic facilities such as PET-CT scans wherever such services are not available in-house. Abitkar instructed that primary health centres, sub-district hospitals and district hospitals should start providing treatments covered under the scheme in mission mode. Effective implementation of the scheme through government hospitals will ensure that funds from the scheme flow directly to public hospitals, helping strengthen the infrastructure and services of the latter. According to the government, better utilisation of funds can also allow hospitals improve facilities and provide higher incentives to doctors and healthcare staff. The health department has also asked all government hospitals empanelled under the scheme to submit progress reports for the past six months, while senior officials will conduct regular field visits to monitor implementation. District coordinators of the scheme have been asked to play a more active role by coordinating with local elected representatives, including MLAs and MPs; as well as district civil surgeons and district health officers; to ensure effective implementation. The government expects public hospitals to gradually become more self-reliant and capable of providing reliable and quality healthcare services.
{{/usCountry}}Public health officials said that hospitals have been advised to explore memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for advanced diagnostic facilities such as PET-CT scans wherever such services are not available in-house. Abitkar instructed that primary health centres, sub-district hospitals and district hospitals should start providing treatments covered under the scheme in mission mode. Effective implementation of the scheme through government hospitals will ensure that funds from the scheme flow directly to public hospitals, helping strengthen the infrastructure and services of the latter. According to the government, better utilisation of funds can also allow hospitals improve facilities and provide higher incentives to doctors and healthcare staff. The health department has also asked all government hospitals empanelled under the scheme to submit progress reports for the past six months, while senior officials will conduct regular field visits to monitor implementation. District coordinators of the scheme have been asked to play a more active role by coordinating with local elected representatives, including MLAs and MPs; as well as district civil surgeons and district health officers; to ensure effective implementation. The government expects public hospitals to gradually become more self-reliant and capable of providing reliable and quality healthcare services.
{{/usCountry}}The review meeting also stressed the need for wider publicity of the scheme, directing hospitals and health institutions to prominently display the scheme’s toll-free helpline number. In 2023, Maharashtra had revamped the MJPJAY scheme, making it universal and increasing medical coverage from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh per family. Under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), beneficiaries are also entitled to an annual coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family, with both schemes being implemented in an integrated manner in the state. In November 2025, the state had further expanded the number of medical procedures covered under the scheme from 1,352 to 2,399; significantly widening the scope of treatment available to patients.