The Bombay High Court has issued an order to the Maharashtra government demanding a detailed account of its spending and budget allocations for medical infrastructure within the state. The directive, issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar, also calls for information regarding the existing vacancies in medical, para-medical, and non-medical staff across government hospitals and medical centers.
This judicial inquiry arises amidst a series of petitions, some initiated by the court itself, highlighting concerns over the significant number of fatalities in government hospitals in the Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts last year. Petitioners have accused the government of failing to adequately utilize funds designated for medical equipment and infrastructure development.
The court’s request specifically seeks an affidavit from a responsible state officer detailing the total budgetary allocations versus actual expenditures. Furthermore, if there are unspent funds, the affidavit must explain the reasons for this underutilization.
During the proceedings, petitioners cited critical staffing shortages in various hospitals as a contributing factor to these issues. In response, the High Court reiterated its previous orders directing the state government to promptly address these vacancies.
