In a politically significant meeting nearly two years after a bitter public confrontation over his imprisonment, former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur and urged him to restore the upgradation of Narkhed's rural hospital into a 50-bed sub-district hospital.
The meeting assumes significance against the backdrop of sharp allegations levelled by Deshmukh against Fadnavis, who was then deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government in July 2024. At that time, the senior NCP functionary accused the Southwest Nagpur MLA of allegedly pressuring him to submit false affidavits against politicians of the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Fadnavis strongly denied the allegations and accused Deshmukh of making false claims for political capital.
Despite the strained political history, Deshmukh on Friday submitted a detailed memorandum to Fadnavis along with members of the ‘Narkhed Upjilha Rugnalaya Bachav Kruti Samiti' and residents seeking reversal of the government's decision on the hospital upgrade.
In the memorandum, Deshmukh stated that the Maharashtra government approved the upgradation of the rural hospital from 30 to 50 beds on February 27, 2024, following sustained efforts during his tenure as Katol MLA. However, the approval was later withdrawn through a government resolution issued on May 29, 2025.
"The decision to cancel the sub-district hospital status is unfortunate and has deprived citizens of better healthcare facilities," Deshmukh said in the memorandum to the chief minister.
He argued that the predominantly rural taluka faces serious healthcare accessibility challenges, with several villages located 50 to 60 kilometers off Narkhed town and nearly 100 kilometers off Nagpur city. According to Deshmukh, the existing rural hospital already handles a significant number of outpatients daily, making the proposed expansion crucial for locals.
Deshmukh also informed Fadnavis that repeated representations failed to yield any response, fuelling resentment among citizens. Nearly 4,928 residents later signed a memorandum under the banner of ‘Narkhed Upjilha Rugnalaya Bachav Kruti Samiti'.
