Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has spent Rs 1,300 crore under the National Health Mission (NHM) in the current fiscal so far while the Centre has allotted only Rs 280 crore.
The Narendra Modi government is supposed to bear the cost of NHM at a 60:40 ratio but it has allegedly stopped providing funds allegedly flouting the norms.
As a result, the state government has to bear the majority of the cost. Out of the total cost of around Rs 1,600 crore, Centre was supposed to pay around Rs 960 crore and the state government Rs 640. But in reality, the state government had to spend more than 2/3 of the cost. Incidentally, the Centre has allegedly withheld funds of around Rs 826.72 crore which the state government is supposed to get for the construction of ‘Suswasthya Kendras’ (health and wellness centres) across Bengal.
According to sources the Centre wants the Bengal government to strictly follow the “branding” norms. The state government had sent the fund utilisation certificate to the Union Health Ministry more than six months ago furnishing the details about the expenses incurred against the construction of Suswasthya Kendras, block and primary health centres but the dues have not been given to the Bengal government.
Trinamool Congress government in Bengal alleged that the Centre had cleared the dues in the 2022-23 financial year to other states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Telangana, Maharashtra and Manipur before the end of the fiscal year. After stopping funds under Awas Yojana and MGNREGS, the Centre has stopped payments under the National Health Mission. It had recently written to the state government threatening to stop funds if colour branding is not followed in case of Suswasthya Kendras. The Centre has accused the state of ignoring the names of the “Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres” which have come up in the primary and block levels.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently had expressed concern over the matter during the Cabinet meeting in this regard. She reportedly told her Cabinet colleagues that the BJP-led Centre has been “saffronising” everything.