BMC spent ₹7,000 crore on health infra; beds increased to 12,000

Infrastructure projects worth Rs 8 lakh crore are currently under various stages of implementation in Maharashtra, the highest in any state, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday.

He said Maharashtra was No. 1 state in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and one of the biggest contributors to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Shinde promised to make Mumbai roads free of potholes in the next two years.

Speaking on the occasion of the dedication of the newly-constructed building of civic-run Nair Hospital’s Dental College in Mumbai Central, Shinde said infrastructure development remains his government’s top priority.

“Maharashtra has the highest number of infrastructure projects under implementation. Projects worth 8 lakh crore are currently going on in the state,” maintained the CM.

Shinde said Maharashtra is a preferred destination for a large number of industries and some business entities have also evinced interest in the health sector as the state has good infrastructure and connectivity, along with potential for more growth.

He said 337km long metro network will be ready in Mumbai soon and this will decongest the city and keep 50 lakh to 60 lakh cars off roads.

Shinde took a jibe at his predecessor and political rival, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, without taking his name and remarked, “Some people have different teeth for eating and different ones for showing.”

He pointed out that Nair Hospital’s Dental College was the second oldest medical facility in India and added its new building was equipped with five-star facilities.

The CM said the first phase of cement concretisation of roads was going on in Mumbai and the second stage work will be undertaken soon.

Shinde promised to make roads in the metropolis free of potholes, which pose a risk to motorists, in the next two years.

“Pollution, trouble to the public every monsoon…deaths on roads. What is all this? This shouldn’t happen. People’s money should be spent on people,” he said.

Shinde said he has asked Mumbai civic commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal to create green spaces wherever possible and develop urban forests in the financial capital.

“Gardens are the lungs of the city. These are big oxygen parks,” Shinde said.

The Chief Minister said for the first time the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made a Rs 3,000-crore provision for ‘zero prescription policy’ under which free medicines will be given to patients at civic hospitals.

He claimed the Mumbai civic body has spent Rs 7,000 crore on health infrastructure in one year and the number of beds in hospitals has increased to 12,000 from 5,000 in last 18 months. PTI