Maharashtra will soon frame rules to make testing of thalassemia mandatory for people before marriage as part of a broader initiative to eradicate the disease, minister Meghana Bordikar said in the state assembly on Thursday.

Responding to a question raised by MLA Vikas Thakre during the Question hour, the minister of state for public health said there are currently around 12,860 thalassemia patients in Maharashtra.

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects the body's ability to produce hemoglobin and healthy red blood cells.

On Thakre's demand that thalassemia testing may be made mandatory before marriage, Bordikar said, "We will soon frame rules on making the test mandatory before marriage." "This is a serious genetic disorder, and if not diagnosed in time, it can be passed on to the next generation. We have launched a thalassemia eradication campaign, starting with a pilot project in Parbhani, which is now being expanded across the state," she said.

She also assured that thalassemia treatment centres will be established in every district.

The minister also informed the House that a probe was underway by the health department commissioner into alleged corruption in the purchase of cancer diagnostic vans.

Speaker Rahul Narwekar directed the inquiry report be tabled in the assembly before the end of the current session.

The main question was raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav, who alleged that vans were purchased at double the price.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar alleged irregularities in the purchase of cancer diagnostic vans by the state public health department and demanded that the probe report be tabled in the assembly before the end of the ongoing session.

The state government had procured eight cancer diagnostic vans, but according to Wadettiwar, the vehicles were purchased at highly inflated prices.

"The cost of one van should not exceed Rs 40 lakh, and the diagnostic equipment inside is not worth more than Rs 12 lakh. Despite this, the vans were bought at much higher rates, indicating possible corruption," he said.

He also claimed some of the equipment in these vans was non-functional.

"This is a serious matter involving a life-threatening disease like cancer. There is an ongoing inquiry, but no report has been submitted so far," Wadettiwar said.

He said the inquiry should be completed and its report presented before the House before the end of the current monsoon session.

Responding to the demand, the speaker directed that the probe be expedited and the report be submitted in the assembly before the conclusion of the session.

The monsoon session of the state legislature will end on July 18.

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