The Times of India                26.09.2013

NMC red tape holds up health mission in Nagpur

NAGPUR: Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has always cited lack of funds justifying its inability to provide proper healthcare to citizens, one of its basic responsibilities. So, it was expected that when central government announced it would provide crores of rupees for improving medical services' infrastructure in cities under its National Urban Health Mission (NUHM), the civic body would jump at the offer. No such luck. On the contrary, NMC is delaying the project by not doing something as simple as submitting minutes of the general body meeting to central government.

The city is supposed to get funds for development of 50 urban primary health centres (UPHC) and 10 urban community health centres (UCHC) under the project. NMC submitted a detailed project report with the centre and also got in-principle approval for it. The centre is likely to sanction Rs 78 crore for the project. The share of the centre in funding the project would be 75% while 25% will have to come from the state and civic body. The project was to be implemented from this month.

The centre wrote to NMC on May 24 seeking a resolution in the general body giving final approval to the project. The NMC took its own time and brought the resolution before general body on August 19. However, since then it has not found time to forward a copy of the resolution along with minutes of the meeting to central government. A senior NMC official told TOI the documents were yet to be sent to the government. "Proposal was tabled before the general body immediately after receiving the centre's letter. It came up for discussion on August 19. The copy of resolution is yet to come from committee department," he said.

NMC sources said even minutes of the meeting held on August 19 are yet to be approved by the general body. "Minutes of the meeting were supposed to be tabled before the general body on September 16. Minutes of deputy mayor election held on August 12 were tabled and approved but not of August 19 meeting," the sources said.

Sources added that the delay was in office of mayor as ruling party leaders were yet to finalize the minutes. "Couple of corporators from ruling alliance itself complained about no information being given to them about the project. One of the corporators even demanded that minutes not be approved unless entire project was studied properly. Municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane requested the house not to keep the proposal pending and forward the resolution to the Centre as soon as possible. Mayor Anil Sole approved the proposal with suggestions from corporators," the sources said.

Under the project, one UPHC will be set up for every 50,000 population. One UCHC, which would be an indoor hospital, for every five to six UPHCs, one Auxiliary Nursing Midwife (ANM) for every 10,000 population, and one Accreditated Social Health Activist ASHA (community link worker) for every 200 to 500 households. The project aims at reduction in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and other serious health concerns.

Denying there was any delay from office of mayor or ruling alliance, leader of ruling party Praveen Datke said committee department had not submitted the minutes till date. "Delay is on the part of administration and officials should ensure quick work especially for such good projects," he said.