Around 1,500 new primary health centres and sub–centres will come up across Maharashtra as per a master plan prepared by the state government, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Thursday.

Chavan said GPS mapping was used to prepare the master plan to improve health facilities in remote parts of the state.

Chavan, who was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of a hospital of Ruby Hall Clinic in Wanowrie, also said eight new government medical colleges would be launched in Maharashtra. "Our aim is to set up government medical colleges at every district headquarters. The new medical colleges will be a step towards this," he said.

Chavan said the state would soon get a state–of–the–art cancer treatment facility, to be set up with technical assistance from the Department of Atomic Energy.

"The facility will offer photon therapy. The project has a financial outlay of nearly Rs 500 crore. The state has allotted around five acres to Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, for setting it up," he said.

The CM, who stressed "simultaneous development of public and private health sectors," said the government would roll out a scheme that would facilitate radiography diagnostic services such as X–Ray, CT scan and MRI at government hospitals with the help of private players.

Chavan reiterated that Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yojana, which offers health insurance options for families earning less than Rs 1 lakh a year, would be rolled out in 25 districts of the state by next month. The scheme has been implemented as a pilot in eight districts.

"The scheme aims at offering tertiary healthcare and will cover expenses of complex surgeries such as those related to kidney, brain and heart, besides treatment for diseases such as cancer. Around 95 per cent of the total state population will be covered with the rolling out of the scheme in the remaining 25 districts," he said.

State Forest Minister Patangrao Kadam and Ruby Hall Clinic managing trustee Dr Pervez Grant were among those present on the occasion.