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UP: CAG report alleges mismanagement of NRHM funds
CAG has found gross financial mismanagement and irregularities in the implementation of the NRHM at almost every level in Uttar Pradesh.UP:
Lucknow: The Comptroller and Auditor General has found gross financial mismanagement and irregularities in the implementation of the National Rural Health Mission at almost every level in Uttar Pradesh.
As per the CAG report for the year ended March 2011, which was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha today, although the NRHM framework provided a well defined monitoring mechanism, it was virtually non-existent in the state.
"A difference of Rs 358.18 crore was noticed between the receipts of funds from the Government of India and that acknowledged by the State Health Society (SHS)," the report said.
Furthermore, it stated that Rs 1768.12 crore received through the treasury of the GOI was not shown in the accounts.
"Prescribed books of accounts for advances disbursed by the SHS and for expenditure of Rs 4938.74 crore were not maintained. Therefore correctness of such amounts booked along with outstanding advances of Rs 816.71 was not ensured," the report said.
The CAG also pointed that the Director General National Programme Monitoring and Evaluation (DGNPME) did not present documents to verify annual accounts of Rs 1277.06 crore for the period of 2005-07.
"Deficient accounting and loose financial control led to financial mismanagement with aggregate impact of Rs 396.63 crore," it said.
The irregularities include unauthorised diversion of Rs 45.02 crore, advance charged as final expenditure of Rs 32.81 crore and large scale cancellation of cheques (257 in State Programme Management Unit (SPMU) and DGNPME Rs 244.97 crore).
The report said that release of funds was characterised by diffusion of responsibility.
"SHS instead of releasing funds directly to the executing agencies, released Rs 1546.09 crore through Programme Management Society (an unregistered society) introduced by the state government in violation of the NRHM framework," it said.
The report pointed out that due to weak programme implementation, unutilised funds continued to increase from year to year and stood at Rs 1364.89 crore at the end of March 2010. This deprived the state from central assistance of Rs 124.55 crore.
"Hundred per cent funds were released to construction agencies, Rs 203.78 crore to UP Processing and Construction Cooperative Federation (PACCFED) and Rs 38.57 crore to UP Jal Nigam during 2009-10, without obtaining detailed estimates and utilisation certificates," it said.
The CAG pointed out that while advances were given to construction agencies without ensuring availability of land, those completed were taken over by the department resulting in non-utilisation.
"Quality control of NRHM works were not ensured either by the government or by the constructing agencies. Construction worth Rs 9.48 crore test checked in Agra revealed wide variation in costs of labour and material and use of inferior bricks," it said. The CAG report also said that out of the 71.18 lakh institutional deliveries reported during 2005-11, only 69.1 lakh pregnant women were paid incentives under Janani Surkasha Yojna (JSY).
Irregularities and fraudulent payments were also detected by the official auditor during a check in selected districts in immunisation programme, payment of incentives under JSY, procurement of medicines, purchase of equipments and articles and family planning programme.
Though the DGNPME received Rs 70.04 crore before July 2010 for operationalisation of emergency medical transport services, it was not put in use.
"The agreement with the finalised service provider was yet to be entered though the vehicles were received upto a year ago. These vehicles carried a warranty of 18 months, of which 10 to 16 months had lapsed for 589 vehicles.
Non-scheduling of the delivery resulted in non-receipt of 190 vehicles, blockage of funds and possibility of deterioration of supplied vehicles lying in the open," the report said.
It said that under the National Programme for Control of Blindness, 14,894 cataract operations were performed irregularly by NGOs in camps and were paid Rs 66.98 lakh in three districts. "Internal audit mechanism was not operational in NRHM and internal audit units under director general medical and health and DGNPME was not examining the records of NRHM," it said.
PTI
As per the CAG report for the year ended March 2011, which was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha today, although the NRHM framework provided a well defined monitoring mechanism, it was virtually non-existent in the state.
"A difference of Rs 358.18 crore was noticed between the receipts of funds from the Government of India and that acknowledged by the State Health Society (SHS)," the report said.
Furthermore, it stated that Rs 1768.12 crore received through the treasury of the GOI was not shown in the accounts.
"Prescribed books of accounts for advances disbursed by the SHS and for expenditure of Rs 4938.74 crore were not maintained. Therefore correctness of such amounts booked along with outstanding advances of Rs 816.71 was not ensured," the report said.
The CAG also pointed that the Director General National Programme Monitoring and Evaluation (DGNPME) did not present documents to verify annual accounts of Rs 1277.06 crore for the period of 2005-07.
"Deficient accounting and loose financial control led to financial mismanagement with aggregate impact of Rs 396.63 crore," it said.
The irregularities include unauthorised diversion of Rs 45.02 crore, advance charged as final expenditure of Rs 32.81 crore and large scale cancellation of cheques (257 in State Programme Management Unit (SPMU) and DGNPME Rs 244.97 crore).
The report said that release of funds was characterised by diffusion of responsibility.
"SHS instead of releasing funds directly to the executing agencies, released Rs 1546.09 crore through Programme Management Society (an unregistered society) introduced by the state government in violation of the NRHM framework," it said.
The report pointed out that due to weak programme implementation, unutilised funds continued to increase from year to year and stood at Rs 1364.89 crore at the end of March 2010. This deprived the state from central assistance of Rs 124.55 crore.
"Hundred per cent funds were released to construction agencies, Rs 203.78 crore to UP Processing and Construction Cooperative Federation (PACCFED) and Rs 38.57 crore to UP Jal Nigam during 2009-10, without obtaining detailed estimates and utilisation certificates," it said.
The CAG pointed out that while advances were given to construction agencies without ensuring availability of land, those completed were taken over by the department resulting in non-utilisation.
"Quality control of NRHM works were not ensured either by the government or by the constructing agencies. Construction worth Rs 9.48 crore test checked in Agra revealed wide variation in costs of labour and material and use of inferior bricks," it said. The CAG report also said that out of the 71.18 lakh institutional deliveries reported during 2005-11, only 69.1 lakh pregnant women were paid incentives under Janani Surkasha Yojna (JSY).
Irregularities and fraudulent payments were also detected by the official auditor during a check in selected districts in immunisation programme, payment of incentives under JSY, procurement of medicines, purchase of equipments and articles and family planning programme.
Though the DGNPME received Rs 70.04 crore before July 2010 for operationalisation of emergency medical transport services, it was not put in use.
"The agreement with the finalised service provider was yet to be entered though the vehicles were received upto a year ago. These vehicles carried a warranty of 18 months, of which 10 to 16 months had lapsed for 589 vehicles.
Non-scheduling of the delivery resulted in non-receipt of 190 vehicles, blockage of funds and possibility of deterioration of supplied vehicles lying in the open," the report said.
It said that under the National Programme for Control of Blindness, 14,894 cataract operations were performed irregularly by NGOs in camps and were paid Rs 66.98 lakh in three districts. "Internal audit mechanism was not operational in NRHM and internal audit units under director general medical and health and DGNPME was not examining the records of NRHM," it said.
PTI