The Times of India              31.01.2014

AMC to get Rs 10cr under National Urban Health Mission

AURANGABAD: The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is likely to receive about Rs 10 crore for improving health services in the city - especially in the slum areas - under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).

The NUHM is a healthcare programme of the Union government to be implemented simultaneously in various cities across the country. In July 2013, the civic body had submitted the project implementation plan (PIP) of Rs 43.38 crore to the state government.

AMC health officer Jayashree Kulkarni on Thursday said that the civic body is expecting about 25% of the total plan in the current fiscal. The municipal body would receive the fund for current fiscal within next eight to ten days. As per the requirement, the AMC will open a separate bank account so that the funds can be transferred, she said.

In addition to this, the directorate of health services has, on Monday, also asked the civic body to prepare the draft PIP for the next three financial years till 2017. The plans for upcoming financial years will be submitted before February 3, 2014.

"Initially, we are looking at renovation of the existing hospitals, besides providing better infrastructure facilities. From the next financial year, the civic body will certainly plan to increase the number of health centres and hospitals," she said.

She added that the directorate of health services has allowed them to carry forward the unutilized funds to next financial years.

"We have only two months left in the current financial year and thus if not utilized in the current fiscal, the AMC will use them in the next fiscal," she said.

The AMC can utilize the funds even if the election code of conduct comes into effect. In the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the code of conduct will come into effect any time in next two-three months. "We can carry out the developmental work after taking a special permission of the government," Kulkarni said.

The AMC is also planning to set up a full-fledged eye hospital and a blood bank in the city. The civic body is looking forward to develop one hospital and add five new dispensaries through the NUHM funds. At present, the municipal body runs six dispensaries, but there is no general hospital. The city has five maternity homes. The proposed plan has, however, not suggested any additional maternity home.