Mumbai Months after an argument over disputed areas with Karnataka, the Maharashtra authorities has determined to make out there its flagship well being scheme — Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Aarogya Yojana (MJPJAY) — for all of the 865 villages which are a part of Karnataka on which Maharashtra has staked its declare since 1966. The choice was taken within the state cupboard assembly held on Thursday night.

It assumes political significance as an argument was stoked after Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in November final yr stated that his authorities was critically contemplating the inclusion of 40 villages from Jat tehsil in Sangli district in Karnataka. These 40 villages had been aside from the 865 villages for which a dispute has been happening between the 2 states since 1966 and the matter is pending earlier than the supreme court docket for a lot of a long time.

The dispute flared up after vans from Maharashtra had been attacked by an area group referred to as the ‘Karnataka Rakshana Vedike’. All these introduced main backlash for the ruling Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party because the latter is in ruling in Karnataka in addition to at Centre.

MJPJAY facilitates cashless medical therapies to the needy sufferers at authorities empanelled 1,000 hospitals for round 996 varieties of illnesses, surgical procedures and therapies. The annual expense on the scheme is round ₹1,400 crore. The addition of 865 villages will deliver a further burden of ₹54cr on the state exchequer.

“We have decided to implement the health guarantee scheme in all the 865 villages of Belgaum, Karwar, Kalaburagi and Bidar areas of Karnataka,” stated a senior minister, wishing to stay nameless.

Besides, the state has determined to empanel 150 extra hospitals situated at eight districts that share borders with the neighboring states. This will facilitate them to get therapy at a close-by hospital underneath the scheme, stated a senior officer from normal administration division (GAD).

Apart from them, the state has additionally determined to empanel KLE Hospital, Belgaum and Goa Medical College and Hospital, Panaji underneath the scheme for the folks residing within the disputed villages, he added.

To determine them as beneficiaries and confirm their residential handle, rations playing cards and Aadhar playing cards shall be thought-about as proofs. They will even have to offer a self-declaration, stated the official.

Before this, chief minister Eknath Shinde on November 25 determined to supply a particular grant of ₹10 crore to all of the social, academic, charitable, cultural in addition to semi-public establishments and organizations in 865 villages. The monetary help was allotted by way of the Chief Minister’s Charitable Fund for which the chief minister has used his discretionary powers.