India, Feb. 2 -- Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday directed that all Primary Health Centres (PHC) in the merged villages be handed over to Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) by March this year.

The issue has gained prominence as cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) have surged primarily in the merged villages. Despite the merger of 23 villages into PMC limits, the facilities are being managed by the Zilla Parishad.

Pawar convened a meeting at the Council Hall with officials from PMC, the state health department, and the Pune Zilla Parishad to discuss the issue.

Pawar said, "Since these areas have been merged into PMC, the zilla parishad should hand over these facilities to the civic body by March. Even the staff should be tr...