Manmohan for transparency in transfer of funds under National Rural Health Mission

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought transparency in the transfer and utilisation of funds under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). Reviewing the progress of the Mission at a meeting here, Dr. Singh suggested electronic monitoring of the programme, particularly the utilisation of funds for procurement of medicines, equipment and the amount spent on development of infrastructure. According to sources, Dr. Singh was keen that there should be electronic transfer of funds from the Centre to the district level and details related to the utilisation of funds should be made available on the Internet. Kerala and Gujarat are the only States that have switched over to e-banking facilities. Emphasising that effective planning at the district level was critical for the success of the programme, the Prime Minister said the Mission should not only be State but district-specific to cater to local needs. There can be no uniform model for the implementation of NRHM. Dr. Singh asked the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to stress on the quality of the district plans, sources said. Dr. Singh also reportedly said that it was important to set annual targets to judge the impact on the scheme. This would also help in better monitoring of funds. The Ministry had been asked to show results within a year. But before that the Prime Minister is expected to review the performance again. More...

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