By | Arvind Jadhav
Mumbai : Senior management of Mumbai’s top charitable hospitals, including Lilavati, Breach Candy, Jaslok and HN Reliance Foundation, may soon face one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹50,000 if they fail to comply with the mandatory 20% bed reservation for poor and economically weaker patients.
Maharashtra has 556 charitable hospitals, all of which are now covered under the amended Maharashtra Public Trusts Act. The law mandates that 10% of beds be provided free for patients from below-poverty-line families and another 10% at concessional rates for those from low-income groups.
The state government’s Law and Judiciary Department issued an ordinance on September 1, increasing penalties for violations. The punishment, earlier limited to three months in jail or a fine of ₹25,000, has been raised to a maximum of one year in jail and ₹50,000 fine, or both. This ordinance will soon be tabled as a bill in the upcoming winter session of the state legislature.
Officials said the move comes after repeated complaints that charitable hospitals were denying access to reserved beds despite enjoying tax exemptions and concessions. The government has also directed hospitals to display real-time availability of charity beds and ensure transparency in the allocation process.
The stricter rules are aimed at making sure that economically weaker sections of society get genuine access to affordable healthcare, and that the charitable status of hospitals is upheld in spirit as well as in law.
