Maharashtra Launches My Village Healthy Village Campaign
In a bid to reshape rural health outcomes across Maharashtra, the state government has unveiled a comprehensive campaign titled “My Village, Healthy Village”, signalling a strategic shift toward integrated preventive healthcare and community-driven wellbeing in village economies. With funding of approximately ₹80 crore earmarked for the first year, the initiative seeks to strengthen rural public health systems by bridging traditional silos between sanitation, nutrition, water supply and disease prevention — a multi-sectoral approach increasingly viewed as essential to sustainable rural development.
The programme, slated to be implemented annually from April to March, aims to transform the health profile of thousands of gram panchayats by tackling both communicable and non-communicable diseases, enhancing maternal and child health, and promoting healthier lifestyles through community participation and awareness. Especially significant is the emphasis on preventive measures over reactive treatment — a hallmark of resilient health systems — which experts say is critical in rural districts where access to advanced medical facilities remains uneven.A unique feature of the campaign is its tiered governance structure. Committees established at the state, division, district, taluka and village levels will oversee implementation, with the state health minister chairing the top committee and senior officials coordinating operational oversight. This layered design aims to ensure accountability, local ownership and alignment with broader social objectives, such as sanitation and safe water supply — areas that directly influence health outcomes but are often treated as separate administrative domains.
To incentivise grassroots performance, villages will be assessed against key health benchmarks, and those scoring above 70 per cent will be recognised as “healthy villages” and rewarded with certificates, mementos and cash prizes. Officials say this competitive framework intends to foster peer learning and sustained community engagement, both of which are vital in driving behavioural change in areas such as sanitation practices, nutrition and lifestyle choices.Urban planners and rural development experts see this initiative as part of a broader paradigm shift in Maharashtra’s health policy — one that aligns public services with local governance and leverages community structures for lasting impact. They note that rural health improvements cannot rely solely on clinical interventions; addressing determinants like water quality, hygiene infrastructure, nutrition education and social awareness is essential for reducing disease burden and improving quality of life.
However, challenges remain. Past rural health campaigns in India have struggled with logistics, data tracking, and scaling preventive measures beyond pilot areas. Effective execution will require robust monitoring systems, sufficient human resources at the village level, and tight coordination between health, water and sanitation departments — all while ensuring vulnerable populations are not left behind.If well implemented, “My Village, Healthy Village” could set a precedent for health-centric rural development in Maharashtra, pivoting from episodic interventions to sustained systemic change. The coming year will be a critical test of whether this initiative can translate policy ambition into measurable improvements in rural wellbeing.
