'Strengthen financial management to check NRHM grants misuse'

The Centre has asked states to strengthen their financial management system to ensure that the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) grants are not misused, the Lok Sabha was informed today.
"Government has been asking the state governments to strengthen the financial management system and ensure that NRHM grants are not misused," Minister of State for Health Faggan Singh Kulaste said in a written reply.
He said that additional funds are given to states under the National Health Mission, NHM, (earlier NRHM) that perform "better on specific performance parameters."
"Central government has issued operational guidelines, advisories and has implemented well established monitoring mechanism under NHM to strengthen the financial management system," he added.

Elaborating on the incentives, the Minister said that under the category of reduction of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), if a state registers a decrease of 5-7 per cent, an incentive of three per cent is given in grants and in case the decrease is over seven per cent, the incentive is of five per cent.
Similarly, for reduction in Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), a decrease between 5-10 per cent lets the state get an incentive of three per cent and a decrease of ten per cent will provide an incentive of 5 per cent.
He said that similar incentives are given under various other categories including full immunisation coverage, quality and functionality of public health services among others.