Minister urges Centre to release National Health Mission fund arrears

Thiruvananthapuram: Health minister Veena George requested Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya to allocate Centre’s share for National Health Mission (NHM) to the state health department without delay at the meeting he convened to review the Covid situation in India.“The co-branding process directed by the Centre has been completed. Still, Centre is withholding funds, which is affecting many activities of NHM in state. Even last month, emergency services, including salaries for residents, were provided using state funds,” George said at the meeting.She said Rs 826.02 crore is the Centre’s share for NHM while the state’s share is Rs 550.68 crore. Of the Rs 409.05 crore allocated for NHM activities, Union finance ministry has approved Rs 371.2 crore as cash grant. This amount is being disbursed in four instalments (25% each). Only Rs 92.8 crore, as the first instalment, has been provided till date. The time for sanctioning the next three instalments has already passed but not a single instalment was given. Centre has to pay Rs 278.4 crore as arrears.Meanwhile, the state’s share has been made available without interruption. NHM is now using Kerala’s state allocation as central allocation is unavailable and thus projects are moving forward, said George at the meeting.Due to non-availability of central funds, incentives for ASHA workers, free check-ups, free treatments, salaries of NHM-appointed doctors, biomedical management, Kaniv 108 ambulance are all being done using the state’s allocation.Additionally, there is arrears to the tune of Rs 30 crore under the categories burns units, skill centre, trauma care, mental health programme, multidisciplinary research unit, pharmacy upgradation, tertiary cancer care centre and paramedical education. The minister also requested the Centre to provide these funds without delay.