Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered the expansion and restructuring of NGOs in each ward to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. These units will act as a link between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and citizens and participate in awareness, door-to-door surveys, testing and elimination of mosquito breeding spots to stop the spread of malaria and dengue.

Thackeray held a video-conference with Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and assistant commissioners of all ward offices on Thursday. Representatives of some NGOs were also present at the meeting. The CM told ward officers to register the NGO units for better management of COVID-19 as the municipal corporation will not be able to do the task alone. "There are 11,000 workers with 828 NGO units already registered with the corporation under Swachh Mumbai Prabodhan Abhiyan (SMPA). Till 2013 these units were under Dattak Vasti Yojana," said Chahal. These units have the task of collecting garbage, cleaning pathways and gutters, washing community toilets and other work related to solid waste management. Transport Minister Anil Parab suggested the reform and restructuring of these units.