More PHCs, Sub Centres for State on cards Azad to review NRHM scheme in all States including J&K, UP

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 25: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said today that his Ministry would undertake an extensive review of Central Government’s flagship programme, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) all over the country including Jammu and Kashmir very soon as the scheme has completed seven years.
“We are going to have a countrywide review of NRHM as the scheme aimed at providing healthcare to the rural people was completing seven years. We will like to know progress under NRHM from all the States in the past seven years. The review will be held very shortly and achievements of the States would be taken into consideration for future projects’’, Mr Azad told the Excelsior on telephone during his brief visit to Bhaderwah to review infrastructure development in the town today.
The NRHM has drawn flak in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir besides some other States. In Uttar Pradesh, a number of bureaucrats have been arrested for multi-crore scam in the Central scheme.
Mr Azad said the Union Health Ministry was going to make State wise assessment of progress made in health sector under the NRHM within the next two months as the Central Government’s prestigious flagship programme has completed seven years now.
“The assessment would include utilization of funds, progress on health front in rural areas, the targets given and achieved by the States, the areas and the people benefited out of the scheme and other issues connected with the rural health mission’’, he added.
The Union Health Minister said the further grants to the States under the NRHM would also depend on the progress made by them under the flagship programme and benefits extended in providing health care to the rural people besides satisfactory utilization of funds for the past seven years.
Mr Azad reached here this morning from New Delhi and straightway left for Bhaderwah town of Doda district where he reviewed development works including progress of Sub District Hospital and facilities being provided at the City Hospital, Bhaderwah. He flew back to New Delhi this afternoon from here.
The Union Health Minister said he was again visiting Jammu on a longer tour of four days in first week of April during which he would have a detailed review of all health related projects and schemes in Jammu and Kashmir including NRHM.
Admitting that super specialty hospital of Government Medical College, Jammu had delayed beyond schedule, Mr Azad, however, said he has been assured by the Government that the hospital would be commissioned in next two to three months.
Though the Union Health Minister only reviewed works in Bhaderwah and left for New Delhi, sources said he was critical of the administration for inordinate delay in health projects including super specialty hospital in Jammu and Sub District Hospital in Bhaderwah.
According to sources, Mr Azad was very much perturbed after observing tardy pace of work on the Sub District Hospital of Bhaderwah and took officers of the executing agency to task. He told the executing agencies not to take excuse of snowfall and rains, summer or winter but ensure immediate completion of the Sub District Hospital at Bhaderwah, the work on which had started during his tenure as the Chief Minister.
The Union Minister admitted that weather sometime did play spoilsport for the executing agencies and hoped that work on the District Hospital of Bhaderwah would be expedited.
On super specialty hospital of Jammu, he said the staff would come from the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and infrastructure would be arranged shortly.
Worthwhile to mention here that work on super specialty hospital had started in 2004. Work was expedited with generation of funds during two and a half years tenure of Mr Azad as the Chief Minister from 2005 to 2008. Since then, commissioning of the super specialty hospital has missed a number of deadlines. It was set to miss the latest deadline of March 31, 2012 as a lot of work was yet to be completed. Moreover, the hospital hasn’t received the requisite staff and infrastructure for operation theatres etc.
Sources said during his upcoming visit, Mr Azad would undertake a detailed review of super specialty hospital and ask the executing agencies to ensure its early completion.
Mr Azad announced that the Union Health Ministry would be giving more Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Sub Centres to Jammu and Kashmir.
Few days back, the Union Health Minister had announced 12 District Hospitals and Sub District Hospitals for Jammu and Kashmir, which would be constructed at a cost of ` 232 crore. First installment for construction of the hospitals amounting to ` 45 crore has already been released.
The new hospitals included District Hospitals—Samba, Pulwama and Bandipora and Sub District Hospitals—Akhnoor, Gandoh, RS Pura, Bishnah, Banihal, Kangan, Hajin, Pahalgam and Chhanpora.
Mr Azad said the Union Health Ministry would sanction more Primary Health Centres and Sub Centres for Jammu and Kashmir soon to strengthen the health infrastructure.
At City hospital, Bhaderwah, the people complained to Mr Azad that it lacked adequate medicare facilities and they had to go to District Hospital, Doda for normal diseases.
The Union Minister visited Bhaderwah Fort and reviewed pace of work on Museum. He also visited Bhaderwah Campus of University and met Rector to know progress on the Campus. He also reviewed development works at Tourist Reception Centre, Teli Garh, Bhaderwah Fort, Yatra base camp at Nalthi and some other places.
Sources said Mr Azad was critical of the executing agencies on the ground that some works were being delayed for a long time as they should have been completed by now or even before.
He also reviewed progress on construction of district hospital complex at Doda comprising OPD, IPD, administrative blocks, blood bank and other facilities, which were estimated to cost ` 26.38 crore. He directed the executing agencies to complete development work by March next. He reviewed progress of sports stadium at Doda and launched new NRHM scheme at SDH Bhaderwah.
Mr Azad, who was accompanied by former Ministers and Congress MLAs from Bhaderwah and Inderwal—Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori and MLC Naresh Gupta, met citizens of Bhaderwah at Dak Bungalow briefly.
Mr Azad had represented Bhaderwah Assembly segment during his two and a half years stint as the Chief Minister. In 2008 Assembly elections, he was elected from Bhaderwah with a record margin but had quit the seat to join national politics once again.