Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi, Nov.13: The Central government has given Rs 8,453.92 crore as a health sector grant for rural and urban local bodies in 19 states to build health systems and bridge significant gaps in the health care system at the primary health care level, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The award was issued by the Ministry of Finance’s Department of Expenditure in accordance with the 15th Finance Commission’s recommendations.
The FC-XV in its report for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 has recommended a total grant of Rs 4,27,911 crore to local governments. The 19 states are Andhra Pradesh (Rs 488.1527 cr), Arunachal Pradesh (Rs 46.944 cr), Assam (Rs 272.2509 cr), Bihar (Rs 1116.3054 cr), Chhattisgarh (Rs 338.7944 cr), Himachal Pradesh (Rs 98.0099 cr), Jharkhand (Rs 444.3983 cr), Karnataka (Rs 551.53), Madhya Pradesh (Rs 922.7992), Maharashtra (Rs 778.0069 cr), Manipur (Rs 42.8771), Mizoram (Rs 31.19 cr), Odisha (Rs 461.7673 cr), Punjab (Rs 399.6558 cr), Rajasthan (Rs 656.171 cr), Sikkim (Rs 20.978 cr), Tamil Nadu (Rs 805.928 cr), Uttarakhand (Rs 150.0965 cr), and West Bengal (Rs 828.0694 cr).
“The grants recommended by the Commission inter-alia include health grants of Rs 70,051 crore. Out of this amount, Rs 43,928 crore have been recommended for Rural Local Bodies and Rs 26,123 crore for Urban Local Bodies,” said the Finance Ministry.
The Commission has also identified measures that will immediately lead to the enhancement of primary health infrastructure and facilities in both rural and urban regions, with grants set aside for each. The ministry has allocated Rs 16,377 crore for diagnostic infrastructure support to rural primary healthcare facilities, Rs 5,279 crore for block-level public health units in rural areas, Rs 7,167 crore for the construction of buildings for building-less Sub centres, PHCs, and CHCs in rural areas, and Rs 15,105 crore for the conversion of rural PHCs and sub-centres into health and wellness centres (HWCs).
In addition, Rs 2,095 crore has been allocated to strengthen diagnostic infrastructure in primary healthcare institutions in urban regions, while Rs 24,028 crore has been allocated to urban health and wellness centres (HWCs).
“The Ministry of Health has suggested that Rs 13,192 crore in health funds be released in the financial year 2021-22, with Rs 8,273 crore for rural local bodies and Rs 4,919 crore for urban local bodies,” the Ministry stated.
It also stated both rural and urban local governments may play an important role in the delivery of primary health care services, particularly at the ‘leading edge,’ and so contribute to the achievement of the Universal Health Care goal.
“Strengthening local governments in terms of resources, health infrastructure, and capacity building can also allow them to play a catalytic role in epidemics and pandemics,” according to the ministry.
It went on to say that engaging Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local governments as monitoring agencies in these primary health care institutions would enhance the overall primary health care system and make the health system more accountable to the people. The ministry also stated that the remaining nine states’ health grants will be released after the appropriate states’ submissions are submitted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
