Chandigarh: The Union government has released Rs 274,370 crore under the National Health Mission (NHM) over the last decade, giving a boost to the health services in the country. The amount includes Rs 4,308 crore released under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat scheme since its inception in 2020-21.
As per the data provided by the Union Health Ministry under the Right to information Act to Punjab-based social activist and advocate Kamal Anand, the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the largest beneficiary of the initiative, receiving Rs 41,703 crore, which is around 15% of the total allocation to all states and union territories. Uttar Pradesh consistently ranked as the highest recipient, with allocations rising from Rs 3,957.73 crore in financial year 2020-21 to Rs 5,404.6 crore in financial year 2023-24.
While, another BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh with total allocations of Rs 20,182 crore is at the second position and Maharashtra remained at the third position with an allocation of Rs 19,095 crore. Another populous state, Bihar witnessed nearly 33% growth in the fund allocation under NHM, with the funding increased from Rs 2,034.98 crore in financial year 2020-21 to Rs 2,718.4 crore in financial year 2023-24.
Rajasthan stood at the fourth position with an allocation of Rs 19,095 crore. However, the border state of Punjab, which is also reeling under incidents of drug addiction and cancer, got only Rs 4,238 crore due to its inability to comply with guidelines in the last two years.
Anand expressed his concerns over the poor allocations to Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Punjab saying, “The figures revealed that Punjab was treated as poorly in allocation of funds. The state was in dire need of health infrastructure as drug addiction and cancer was spreading roots in the state, which had nearly 40,500 cancer patients as per government data.”
However, the figures also revealed that the allocation of the funds was not aligned with the population of a particular state. As Assam, which is at the 15th position in terms of population, stood at the 5th position in allocation of funds with Rs 16,551 crore has been allocated to this border state under the NHM. While, Punjab, which is at the 16th position in terms of population share of the country Punjab is at the 20th position in terms of fund allocation.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh’s fund allocation decreased slightly from Rs 1,172.68 crore in financial year 2020-21 to Rs 1,164.33 crore in financial year 2023-24, putting a question mark over the utilization of funds. Smaller states like Himachal Pradesh receive relatively higher per capita funding due to geographical and logistical challenges.
In addition to NHM funding, the Centre has allocated Rs 4,308 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission to strengthen healthcare facilities in the country. The highest Rs Rs 679.95 crore was released to Uttar Pradesh, followed by Rs 559.71 crore to Tamil Nadu, Rs 459.56 crore to Odisha, Rs Rs 409.82 crore Madhya Pradesh, Rs 336.60 crore to Rajasthan and Rs 330.01 crore to Jharkhand. Whereas Punjab got Rs 24.16 crore and West Bengal Rs 76.85 crore under this scheme.
As per experts, the poor allocation of funds to Punjab is the result of poor implementation of Centrally sponsored schemes as after the formation of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, the state government was reluctant to implement the Centrally sponsored scheme, but opened Aam Aadmi Clinics, resulting into the stagnation of fund allocation from the Centre. The Centre has withheld NHM funds allocated to Punjab due to a dispute over the state government branding centrally sponsored health clinics. In November, last year Punjab government resolved the funding dispute with the Centre and received Rs 123 crore. But there was no clarity yet over the pending amount of Rs 621 crore for 2023-24 because of clinic naming issues.