NEW DELHI, Dec 17: The mid-term appraisal of the 12th plan of the Planning Commission for which preparatory work has started will be a good opportunity for the government to judge the work done so far, Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said today.
“I think mid-term appraisal will be good opportunity to judge what it is that we have got right, what is that we got almost right and what it is that we need to address,” Ahluwalia said while addressing the Health Summit organised by CII here.
He said the mid-term appraisal of 12th Plan (2012-17) will be done by the end of 2014.
“In the Planning Commission, the institute has to produce the mid-term appraisal of the 12th Plan somewhere towards the end of next calender year. Of course, we will have a new government in place…And the new Commission. So the actual mid-term appraisal will be with the formation of new government,” he said.
Ahluwalia said the preparatory work for the appraisal has already started.
He said the government has given importance to healthcare and education in the 12th Plan.
“In the 12th Plan itself…Two sections which are given more importance in terms of directing government money are health and education.”
Ahluwalia also said more is needed to be done in the area of PPP in healthcare segment.
He also said that the issue of high fee in the area of medical education needs to be addressed.
“Government is hesitant and uncomfortable to work with the private sector in the healthcare sector, and there is a challenge to build a framework for a PPP model in this sector, Secretary, Planning Commission Sindhushree Khullar said.
“Healthcare sector is the most favourable sector to work within this public-private partnership. A lot of hesitation is from the government because we are not as yet comfortable with partnering on a equal basis with the private sector.
“There are, the trust deficit…(which) exist across all sectors. Within us, we are uncomfortable, we think the private sector is there to make money….” Khullar said during her address at the Summit.
She said it is a challenge for the government to have a framework within which the PPP model in which public sector and the government can, not only co-exist, but partner as well.
“Challenge in the 12th Plan (2012-17) is to build the framework, is to be able to create an enabling environment,” she said.
She also said the challenge in the next five years is to improve the health indicator in terms of enabling every child to live its full life or enabling the mother to ensure that she and her child are well.
Besides, Khullar said that the key role of the central government should be in setting standards in terms of quality and services in the healthcare space and to ensure that those standards are met. (PTI)
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