Centre pulls up UP for ‘slow pace’ of NRHM fund use

Uttar Pradesh is yet to spend 58 per cent of the released budget of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the year 2012-13.

This was an observation made by Government of India officials in the sixth common review mission report of the state, discussions on which were held in Delhi last week.

The Common Review Mission (CRM) also recommended that the District Project Management Units, which are fundamental units of the NRHM in the state, need to be strengthened. The officials observed that DPMU (district-level programme management units) staff had "low motivation" and there is need to strengthen and define responsibilities of the DPMU staff and district administration.

Mentioning the staff crunch, the CRM recommended that the state needs to develop workforce management including renewal of contractual staff as well as develop human resource management information system for real-time information.

Replying to the recommendation, the state government said that as per the executive committee of state NRHM, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, has been selected for developing a comprehensive HR policy.

On the financial management of NRHM, the CRM said that the mission flexi pool part of the NRHM budget is being utilised by the state government "at a very slow pace". The CRM said that till October 31, 2012, the overall utilisation of NRHM budget as per the state project implementation plan is merely 19 per cent whereas based on the release of funds, the state has utilised 42 per cent. The state, in its action taken report, said that in November 2012, instructions were given to district officials to achieve the target expenditure.

A team of 14 officials visited the state in November last year for the CRM. Though the officials acknowledged gradual improvement in health facilities, they also stressed various critical gaps like lack of human resources. A workshop based on the CRM report was held in Delhi on Friday, in which UP Mission Director Amit Ghosh participated and presented the action taken report.

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