Mumbai: Always ever alert to and rushing with help in times of crisis, Congress Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Architect Anant Gadgil took note of the emerging threat of Corona Virus (COVID19) outbreak, decided to channelize utilization of his MLA fund for bolstering public healthcare infrastructure at Government, Army and Civic hospitals in Mumbai and Pune. His initiative has now caught on the imagination of fellow politicians and legislators who are now donating their legislator funds for the cause of upgrading the government hospital infrastructure.
Speaking to TheNews21.com, Gadgil disclosed that in February itself he had sensed that the Corona virus outbreak could pose a threat. “As it is for the last few years I have been consciously earmarking a portion of my MLA fund for upkeep and modernization of hospital equipment. By law we cannot donate our funds to private hospitals and have to only allocate it for use in government hospitals. Moreover, the poor can only afford affordable health care in government or civic hospitals”, remarked Gadgil.
He says that the spread of COVID19 has now made people realize the importance of medical and health care sector. In the last three years, Gadgil has spent more than Rs 1 crore on providing for advanced medical equipment to government hospitals in Mumbai-Pune belt.
Gadgil to date has donated a Rs 24 lakh ultra-modern state-of-the-art Ambulance fitted with mobile Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for the Indian Armys Heart hospital at Kondhwa, near Pune, Rs 12 lakh worth Ventilators and Rs 10 lakh worth Defibrillators, Fowler beds used in cardiac treatment at J J Hospital, Mumbai, Rs 12 lakh worth Ventilators for the Pediatric ward at Sasoon Hospital in Pune, Rs 15 lakh worth machines used in Cataract treatment at Sardar Patel Hospital.
During the recently concluded budget session, I had in the Legislative Council had suggested that a portion of the MLA fund be earmarked for public health care system. He added that there are many misconceptions about the use of the MLA funds. Hence it is imperative that a portion of the MLA fund be set aside for this purpose, added Gadgil.
At present the Members of Parliament get Rs 5 crore as their MPLAD Fund or MPs Local Area Development Fund, MLAs get Rs 3 crore (recently increased, earlier it was Rs 1 crore) as MLA Fund and Corporators also get an annual fund for local development works in their respective civic wards.
