Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar turned up the heat on the state government Wednesday, issuing a direct order to furnish a statement on the dire lack of medical facilities in Sangmner town. The spotlight fell on the shocking unavailability of MRI and CT scan machines at government hospitals, a problem plaguing Ahmednagar’s residents for too long.
Members of the House painted a grim picture: patients enduring hours on roads to reach urban centers for scans, often at exorbitant costs. Narwekar, visibly agitated, lambasted the administration for previous inaction despite repeated alerts. He mandated an urgent statewide audit of diagnostic equipment deficits, with special focus on Sangmner, to be tabled imminently.
‘If any officer believes they are not bound by the Speaker’s instructions, severe measures will follow,’ Narwekar cautioned, invoking the threat of breach of privilege against top bureaucrats. He also pressed for swift replies to outstanding notice motions, warning that delays could trigger formal proceedings against the chief secretary.
This episode reveals systemic flaws in public health delivery, particularly in semi-urban areas. With the Assembly session ongoing, the government’s response could influence future policy pushes for equitable medical access across Maharashtra, prompting calls for immediate investments in rural diagnostics.