In a major push to strengthen Maharashtra’s healthcare delivery and medical education system, the State Government is set to avail a long-term soft loan of Rs 3,708 crore from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The total project cost has been estimated at Rs 4,635 crore, which includes the establishment of new medical and nursing colleges across the state.
The Maharashtra Government will contribute Rs 927 crore, accounting for 20 per cent of the total outlay, while JICA will finance the remaining 80 per cent. The project also includes plans to upgrade infrastructure at existing public hospitals and enhance capacity at current medical and nursing institutions.
Among the proposed new medical colleges to be funded under the project are institutions in Wardha, Palghar, Ratnagiri and Ahilyanagar. The State aims to expand its public healthcare network by ensuring every district has access to advanced government healthcare facilities, amid rising medical treatment costs for citizens.
The Government is also focusing on strengthening the nursing education system by establishing new nursing colleges and upgrading diploma institutes to degree-granting colleges offering B.Sc Nursing courses. Degree programmes are proposed at institutions including GT Hospital and St George Hospital in Mumbai, along with colleges in Dhule, Solapur, Ambejogai, Akola, IGMC Nagpur, Ratnagiri, Palghar and Dharashiv. New nursing colleges are also planned in Baramati, Sangli (Miraj) and Kolhapur.
The JICA loan will further cover the procurement of advanced diagnostic equipment and surgical tools for medical colleges and affiliated hospitals. The State has identified 10 Government Medical College and Hospitals (GMCHs) for development, including two Greenfield institutions.
The Medical Education Department and Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) have set a nine-year timeline for completion of the project, titled “Strengthening Tertiary Healthcare Delivery, Medical Education System & Nursing System in Maharashtra.” As per the agreement, JICA will provide a 0.1 per cent front-end incentive if the project is completed within the stipulated period. The loan will be repaid over 30 years, while a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) will oversee implementation and timely execution of the infrastructure project.
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