NEW DELHI: The Government has no roadmap for ensuring financial resources to transform 1.5 lakh health sub-centres into wellness centres as announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and it reflects “dichotomy” of budget announcements, a parliamentary panel has said.
The committee noted that against the projected demand of Rs 34,315.66 crore for 2017-18 under National Health Mission (NHM), the total allocation in Budget Estimates (BE) 2017-18 is only Rs 26,690 crore, leaving a “shortfall” of Rs 7624.96 crore.
In comparison to the Revised Estimates (RE) 2016-17 allocation of Rs 22197.95 crore, the increase in BE 2017-18 is only Rs 4492.75 crore which is “insufficient”, the committee on Demands for Grants 2017-18 of Department of Health and Family Welfare said.
“It would be pertinent to point out that though in his budget speech the Finance Minister has proposed to transform 1,50,000 health sub-centres into health and wellness centres and promote generic drugs, there is no solid roadmap for ensuring adequate financial resources for these initiatives and this is where the dichotomy of the budget announcements gets reflected,” the committee chaired by Ram Gopal Yadav said.
The committee noted that the shortfall in allocations for NHM for 2017-18 vis-a-vis its projected demand for funds will “adversely impact” a number of health initiatives. (AGENCIES)
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