Pune: In financial year 2025-26, Rs569.8 crore was allocated to the health department by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in the budget, wherein almost 22% was spent on just 52,000 families of current and retired civic employees, corporators and those registered under the urban poor scheme, 35% on staff salaries and only 43% of the funds remained for the general public. While the privileged section of citizens benefit from special schemes that take care of almost their entire healthcare needs, the department faces funds crunch to buy medicines and consumables for the general public or even to upgrade the existing crumbling healthcare infrastructure.Health activists have resultantly questioned the need for the Comprehensive Health Scheme (CHS) for corporators with declared assets worth crores of rupees and Class I and II civic employees earning sufficiently to take care of their families’ healthcare needs.PMC commissioner Dr Naval Kishore Ram told TOI: “We are considering the issue. PMC funds must go towards the welfare of the general public. Those who can afford to pay must voluntarily give up the benefits under such govt schemes. We are contemplating to draft a policy ensuring that benefits reach deserving citizens.”Assistant health officer Dr Sanjeev Wavare said, “Approximately Rs60 crore of the Rs569.8 crore funds was spent on 20,000 card holders and their family under the Urban Poor Health Scheme (UPHS) — run specially by the civicbody for the marginalised. As much as Rs70 crore was spent on 32,000 civic employees (current and retired) and theirfamilies and about 700 corporators (current and retired ) and their families under CHS. The total of Rs130 crore accounts for 22% of the budget allocations. We had to apply for additional funds for salaries and schemes, especially with the newly merged areas also under PMC’s jurisdiction.”Civic officials said 35% of the health budget is reserved for staff salaries, leaving only 43% for the general public. The PMC health department’s job is to provide primary care, but civic hospitals are often deprived of basic amenities. Chief health officer Dr Nina Borade was asked about the paucity of funds for the general public’s healthcare needs. She said, “The PMC provides free medicines that are consumables to everyone who goes to civic hospitals. It is true that a major part of the budget is spent on special schemes and on the staff, but the latter work for the healthcare needs of the city.”Health activist Dr Sanjay Dabhade said, “Corporators have declared assets worth crores of rupees and PMC’s Class I and II employees can afford to pay for their healthcare needs. They should not avail these benefits. The city’s healthcare is on a ventilator. Compared to Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, the focus here is not on healthcare needs as much as it should be. PMC must look at recruiting doctors and healthcare staff.“Experts have also questioned the need for PMC to pay crores of rupees to private facilities for employees who refuse to go to govt hospitals like Kamala Nehru. Activist Dr Abhijit More said, “The UPHS was a temporarymove for the poor to avail healthcare till PMC upgraded its own hospitals. However, the allocation has increased from Rs10 crore to Rs 80 crore subsequently. Civic staff and corporators must go to govt hospitals first, rather than private ones. The UPHS has also been in the limelight earlier for multiple scams. The scheme applies even in public private partnership hospitals, where the PMC provides land for the facilities. Essentially, PMC not only gives the land for free, but pays bills worth crores of rupees.”
