The Hindu : National : Cabinet nod for rural health mission

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005

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National

Cabinet nod for rural health mission

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 4. The Union Cabinet today approved the ambitious National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) as a comprehensive rural health care programme to provide integrated healthcare services to the people, especially to the rural poor.

To be made operational from April 2005, the mission aims to undertake "architectural correction" of the health system to enable it to effectively handle increased allocations promised under the national common minimum programme. The Government will seek monetary support from international financial institutions to implement the mission.

The mission will involve merger of funds and personnel of the Departments of Health and Family Welfare and rationalisation of the two departments into a single integrated unit that will implement the health and family welfare programmes.

The Government has reiterated its intention to increase its outlay on health from the current 0.9 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) substantially over the next five years and to achieve this, it will initiate negotiations with the World Bank (International Development Association) for credit support of Rs. 1,575 crores and for grants-in-aid support from the Department for International Development (DFID) for Rs. 2,125 crores for the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) - II Programme to be implemented from April 2005-2010.

An empowered programme committee will operate the overall budget of the Ministry, within the 10th Plan ceiling, to meet all needs of the NHRM.

The Government will create two posts, one each of an Additional Secretary and a Joint Secretary, to assist the Secretary (Health and Family Welfare ) to supervise the work of Family Welfare. There will also be a director and a personal assistant for the Mission Directorate.

Six posts — director, senior research officer, personal assistant, upper division clerk, junior Hindi translator and Hindi stenographer — will be transferred from the National Commission on Population to the Mission Directorate.

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