The amount, delivered to the Centre by the World Bank (WB) as loan grant for the eradication of malaria project in 100 tribal districts of seven states, has left most of the aspiring states high and dry. These states are still awaiting their share to launch the programme in their respective tribal districts.

One of the worst-hit states has been Maharashtra, which despite filing its claim of Rs 120 crore as early as four months before the arrival of grant in September last year, has been forced to settle with peanuts.

Shockingly, with one year of the five-year programme already wasted, the State has so far received only one multipurpose health van and little supply of synthetic pyrethroids for the project.

This unexplained delay in disbursing of funds has jeopardised the activation of the anti-malaria programme in 14 tribal districts of the State, identified for the project. The programme, launched with much fanfare, is now gathering dust in the State Health Services Department.

The various anti-malaria drives envisaged under the World Bank project and which are now in suspended animation, include drives for early diagnosis and prompt treatment of malaria, selective vector control, personal protection method, early detection and contention of malaria and supporting activities.

A major portion of the aid is supposed to be distributed to the states in the form of advance treatment technology and medical equipment, new drugs and vehicles to be used as multipurpose health vans for touring and taking blood smear samples in malaria-prone tribal districts. Besides, a significant share has been allocated for training and educating the existing health services staff for the malaria programme.

Moreover the suspension of the State's ambitious project of raising an entire force of Malaria Link Workers (MLW) for programme has given a severe jolt to the State.

The State Health Department had announced its scheme to recruit around 3,000 volunteers as MLWs which would supplement the services of primary health workers in the tribal districts and help in early detection of malarial cases.

``The project is very much on the cards and it will be revived as soon we get adequate funds from the NMEP,'' said Dr. P.P. Doke, Joint Director, State Health Services Department (Malaria and Filaria).

Meanwhile, the disbursement of funds has prompted a virtual tug of war between the seven states, with each trying to get the maximum benefit from the ``big deal.'' According to highly-placed sources in the NMEP, only Andhra Pradesh has so far succeeded in drawing the maximum share.

The disparity in distribution of funds by NMEP is also raising many an eyebrow. While Andhra Pradesh has received 30 multipurpose medical vans under the project, Maharashtra and Bihar are yet to receive even the preliminary package.

Last year some states including Maharashtra had expressed their apprehensions about fair play in distribution of the WB grant. The states had blamed Andhra Pradesh for projecting overall increase in malarial cases to strenghthen its claim for a bigger share.