Blood required for patients will now be a phone call away with the Maharashtra government launching its health programme – 'Jeevan Amrut Seva' or 'Blood–on–Call' – across the state on Tuesday.

A call centre for the purpose has been set up at Aundh Civil Hospital in Pune. People can dial 104 to connect the call centre with their requirements and the information will be forwarded to the respective district blood banks.

"Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will inaugurate the scheme at the Sir J J Metropolitan blood bank in Mumbai at 4 pm on Tuesday. The Maharashtra government is the first in the country to roll out such a scheme. The blood would be transported on motorcycles specially fitted with a cold storage facility within an hour's time to areas within a radius of 40 km," state health minister Suresh Shetty said.

Citizens needing blood simply have to dial 104 and place a request at the call centre at the Aundh Civil Hospital, which will then alert the nearest district blood bank to deliver blood.

Over the last one year, the state public health department has been carrying out pilot projects in Satara and Sindhdurga. Now, this will be rolled out across the state.

A citizen will be charged Rs 450 per bottle and for a minimum distance of 10 km, there will be an additional transport charge of Rs 50. The charge will be Rs 100 for 11–40 km. The health department has pledged to deliver blood within an hour.

The state government has in a notification told private hospitals that it is mandatory for them to be a part of the scheme. It added that the private hospitals must compulsorily register with the local district blood bank.