NRHM proving a white elephant, failed to achieve set targets due to lack of infrastructure

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Feb 26: While National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched with much funfare in Jammu and Kashmir to cater the needs of rural population, but government is slow on fun utilization.

Sources said that the project has failed to achieve its set targets which and many of the schemes under the project have not reached the rural masses, mainly because health sector is facing acute infrastructural problems. .

According to the official record, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India has released Rs 592.61 crore whereas the state government has sanctioned an amount of Rs 679.73 crore from the launch of NRHM, in which only Rs 573.02 crore has been used by different activities till date.

Sources said that if such huge amount of money is being sanctioned and used by the health department then why it doesn’t use properly so that the suitable results come out.

Reports further says that in the ten districts of Jammu province the total expenditure from the launch of NRHM till January 2012 are Rs 24,035.78 lacs which included District Health Societies (DHS) of Doda is Rs 1,209.05, Ramban Rs 678.15 lacs, Kishtwar Rs 762.70 lacs, Udhampur Rs 1,451.16 lacs, Reasi Rs 827.03 lacs, Jammu Rs 2,810.41 lacs, Samba Rs 884.94 lacs, Kathua Rs 1,692.09 lacs, Rajouri Rs 1,911.02 lacs and Poonch Rs 1,493.23 lacs whereas the other developmental infrastructure of Director Health Services, Jammu costs Rs 10,316.00 lacs.

 “Most of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Sub Centres of the state are without proper infrastructure and even the number of medical and paramedical staff are not adequate to cope up the rush of patients” said a employee in health department.

 He added that due to the unavailability of the required facilities patients care suffers and spending crores of rupees by the government seems useless.

 It is pertinent to mention here that after being warned by the Government of India over mismanagement in the implementation of NRHM, the State Government has decided to establish field cells in all districts to monitor target achievements of the flagship health scheme.

Union Health Ministry had pulled up J&K for its lack of concern to keep track on utilization of resources under the centrally sponsored scheme, which had led to blockage of funds from time to time in the past.

Special field teams would conduct monthly reviews and submit their reports to respective Deputy Commissioners, who in turn would submit it to the higher authorities for necessary action.