The Planning Commission will give a big thrust on health through a much wider programme than the existing National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), in the 12th five-year Plan that begins from today. It would be a pan-India programme, meant to incentivise states to increase their annual spending on health.
To be called the Rashtriya Swasthya Vikas Yojana and funded by the Centre, it is to be aimed at boosting public spending in those states whose health parameters lag the national average, but will not be limited to these areas.
The Commission is believed to have shared its idea with the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council last week.
“There have been several faults in NRHM, the biggest being the limited flexibility given to states to devise their own strategies and policies. The new programme will seek to change that, by giving states all the freedom,” a senior official said.
| BOOSTER SHOT |
| * New programme to boost public spending in health both by Centre & states |
| * To be modelled on the lines of the existing Rashtriya Swasthya Vikas Yojana |
| * Will ensure greater flexibility to states to devise their own local plans on health care |
| * Universal health care to be focal point of new programme |
The NRHM was focused on 18 states, which had weak health parameters, but the new initiative will be spread across the country. It is to be modelled on the agriculture ministry’s Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, that has been instrumental in pushing up India’s foodgrain production by almost 15 per cent in the 11th Plan (2007-12). The broad guidelines like universal health care and strengthening of systems will be laid out and it will the states’ responsibility to devise programmes for these.
Public expenditure on health has been steadily declining in recent years. In India, the government spending on health rose a meagre 4.5 per cent in 2009-10, against the target of eight per cent.
The central government granted just seven per cent of its total annual health spending to the states, as against a target of 25 per cent spending in the 2002 National Health Policy.
Public expenditure on health was just 1.4 per cent of the total in the 11th Plan, while the 12th Plan aims to raise this to 2.5 per cent. The increased allocation in the 12th Plan is to flow through the new initiative.
A recent Human Development Report has lamented the poor condition of health services in the country. It points to a poor child mortality rate and notes the proportion of women receiving ante-natal care is less than in Brazil, Russia and China.
