Renewal of employees’ contracts after appraisal of performance
Convey district approvals within 15 days: Ministry
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 29: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved annual plan worth Rs 1163.40 crore for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir under National Health Mission (NHM) for the financial year 2021-22. However, it has been made clear that strict compliance to the conditions will be looked into while considering the release of funds.
In a communication addressed to Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Government of J&K UT, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has conveyed that against a resource envelope of Rs 795.83 crore (calculated assuming State share of 10%), an administrative approval has been granted for an amount of Rs 1163.40 crore.
“Any unspent balance available under NHM with J&K as on April 1, 2021 would also become a part of the resource envelope and depending on the expenditure and requirement, J&K may propose supplementary Program Implementation Plan (PIP) and take approval”, the Ministry said in a letter, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
“The State Share of Rs 79.58 crore could be added to any pool depending on the approvals and requirement”, the Ministry said while making it clear that action on the conditions would be looked at while considering the release of first/second tranche of funds.
As per the communication, the Ministry will examine the compliance with conditionalities as prescribed by the Department of Expenditure of the Union Finance Ministry. Moreover, the J&K Government has been asked to ensure timely submission of quarterly report on physical and financial progress.
The Ministry will also examine action on issues like pendency of State Share, if any, based on release of Central grants; transfer of Central grants from the treasury to the State Health Society bank accounts; timely submission of Statutory Audit Report for the year 2020-21 and laying of same before the General Body and intimation to the Ministry.
“Before the release of funds beyond 75% of the BE for the year 2021-22, UT needs to provide audited Utilization Certificates against the grants released up to 2020-21”, the Ministry said, adding “we will also examine action on the opening of accounts of all agencies in PFMS and ensuring expenditure capturing through REAT module of PFMS”.
It has also laid stress on establishment of essential mechanisms such as robust health helpline (doctor on call, grievance redressal and scheme dissemination) and formulation of HRM Policy. “The UT must ensure timely submission and updation of quality and accurate data in digital mode for indicators pertaining to the Central Health Dashbord/ National Health Profile as per fixed timelines”, the Ministry said.
J&K has been asked to convey the district approvals within 15 days of receiving the RoP approvals and ensure due diligence in expenditure and observe in letter and spirit all rules, regulations and procedures to maintain financial discipline and integrity particularly with regard to procurement.
The Ministry has also laid stress on third party monitoring of civil works and certification of their completion through reputed institutions to ensure quality. “Also information about all ongoing works should be displayed on the NHM website”, it added.
The J&K Government has further been asked to ensure regular meetings of State and District Health Missions/ Societies and their performance along with financial audit reports must be tabled in the governing body meetings.
“To avail the 2nd tranche of release under NHM, the Government should ensure at least 10% increase in State Budget over last year and where such increase over last year is less than 10% than the average of 3 years would be considered”, the Ministry said, adding “out of the total allocation to health in the State Budget, 2/3rd should be on Primary Health Care”.
It has also issued directions for increasing the share of expenditure of State on health to more than 8% of the total budgetary expenditure. “The UT must ensure that achievement of performance above minimum performance benchmark is included as a condition in the contract letter of every HR engaged under NHM and before renewal of contract each employee must be appraised at least against these benchmarks”, the Ministry said.
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