NRHM scam: CBI lodges eight FIRs

LUCKNOW: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday night registered eight separate FIRs at its Lucknow office in connection with the swindling of funds and allegations of corruption in implementation of the National Rural Health Mission in the state. The move has paved way for initiating arrests in the cases, if the investigators saw a need for such an action . Sources in the CBI confirmed that a series of arrests were likely to follow in the next few days, including those of some senior officers , politicians, contractors and their families as well. The CBI move is sure to result in a political upheaval as the FIRs are related to anomalies committed during the present government itself and the action is sure to come as a fodder for the political opposition of the government to batter the BSP in the poll-bound state. The number of accused in these cases was expected to cross a couple of dozens but the exact count could not be ascertained yet as it will depend on the statements of those who have been prima-facie identified as the accused. The FIRs include names of some senior officers, former ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs. The cases have been registered under different sections of Prohibition of Corruption Act apart from the sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) that provide for action against forgery , fraud and graft. Sources confirmed that at least one FIR has been lodged against the State Health Society (SHC), which was the nodal agency for the NRHM implmentation. However , whether any particular name or designation has been identified as accused in the case, could not be confirmed. The CBI sources said that arrests were likely to include those whose names had figured in front companies that were being actually operated by politicians and officers of the health department. "In some instances , the individuals were not involved in the crime but there is evidence that they were pretty aware of it, hence they too will be deemed as accused," said senior officer.

Hospitals to be ramped up to check infant deaths

KOZHIKODE: In a bid to bring down the infant mortality rate, the district unit of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is planning a proposal to beef up hospital infrastructure in government and private hospitals in the district. The plan is likely to be ready in two weeks and will be submitted to the state government.

The current IMR in the district is 12 per 1,000 births and effort of NRHM is to bring it down to 6 per 1,000 births. According to Dr A Baburaj, district programme manager, NRHM, the proposal will include detailed information on staff and equipment required at government hospitals. It will also give impetus to training programmes for doctors and paramedical staff.

The NRHM will also suggest ramping up the gynaecology wards of government hospitals and setting up of blood banks and transfusion centres. It will give priority to pre-delivery awareness programmes and immunization drives. "We are planning to organize training programme for private hospital doctors and staff on the modern technologies used in gynecology," says Dr Baburaj.

Reduction of Mother Mortality Rate ( MMR) will also be given impetus under the next five year plan. Besides, a comprehensive plan to prevent communicable disease in the district will also be proposed. Cleanliness drive and awareness programmes on the need for proper waste management system will also be included in the proposal. "We will recommend the government to set up high-tech health care centres for early detection and treatment of non-communicable diseases," said Baburaj.

The current IMR in the district is 12 per 1,000 births and effort of NRHM is to bring it down to 6 per 1,000 births

The proposal will include detailed information on staff and equipment required at government hospitals. It also give impetus to training programmes for doctors and paramedical staff.

CBI summons Mayawati’s men in NRHM scam

Barely a couple of days after the announcement of elections to Uttar Pradesh assembly, the CBI has summoned two former state cabinet ministers in connection with the NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) scam probe.

According to sources, the investigation agency is set to register three regular cases naming several UP politicians, bureaucrats and medical officials for alleged irregularities in spending of Rs10,000 crore allocated to the state under the NRHM.

BSP leaders, former family welfare minister Babulal Kushwaha and former health minister Anant Mishra, have been asked to appear before the CBI at its headquarters in Delhi on December 27 and 28, an official said.

The NRHM scam came to light when three senior health department officials were killed in mysterious circumstances, one after another, by unknown persons.

The CBI suspects that powerful politicians were behind the killing of Lucknow’s deputy chief medical officer Dr YS Sachan and his two seniors, Dr Vinod Arya and Dr BP Singh. It is suspected that these health officials were killed because they refused to help them (politicians) in siphoning central funds. During its one and-a-half-month long investigation, the agency collected several incriminating materials to register three regular criminal cases.

“It prima facie indicates that there were gross financial and administrative irregularities in NRHM’s execution and implementation. These irregularities were committed in award of contract, procurement of goods and articles at various levels. We have collected several documents, which collaborate our claims to lodge regular cases,” a CBI official said.

The agency took the case on the direction of Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High court. The agency constituted a big special investigating team(SIT) comprising 26 officers to probe the scam.

NRHM scam: CBI quizzes former UP Health Minister

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI) Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Anant Kumar Mishra was today interrogated by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in expenditure of funds worth about Rs 10,000 crore in the National Rural Health Mission and murder of three top health officials.

Mishra, summoned by the central probe agency today, was grilled for nearly eight hours during which he quizzed on expenditure incurred on various schemes, tendering process and procurement of ambulances for the state during his tenure as the Health Minister there. He was also asked about the funds allocated under the scheme to Lucknow district and also on some developments which have surfaced during the probe in the murders of two Chief Medical Officers -- V K Arya and B P Singh -- which took place during his tenure as the Health Minister of the state, CBI sources said.

The agency had summoned Kushwaha and former Health Minister Anant Mishra here for questioning in connection with the multi-crore NRHM scam and murders of health officials which had led to state-wide furore over allegation of rampant corruption in execution of the central scheme, they said. Kushwaha was questioned yesterday by the agency and is likely to be called again.

The CBI had started probe into the alleged irregularities in spending of Rs 10,000 crore allocated to Uttar Pradesh as central funds under NRHM, after registering five preliminary enquiries following orders of the High Court.

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)

Janani Surakha Yojana is another important component under NRHM. JSY is a centrally sponsored scheme to benefit pregnant women & certified poor families. The Government has introduced the Janani Suraksha Yojana to provide comprehensive medical care during pregnancy, child birth and postnatal care and thereby endeavour to improve the level of institutional deliveries in low performing states to reduce maternal mortality.

The NRHM provides broad operational framework for the Health Sector. Suggestive guidelines have been issued on key interventions like institutional deliveries, immunization, preparation of District Action Plan as well as schemes including ASHA, JSY etc. The States have the flexibility to project operational modalities in their State Action Plans.

It is envisaged that National Rural Health Mission shall be able to effectively improve the availability of and access to quality health care by people, especially for those residing in rural areas, the poor, women and children.

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)

Rural Health Care forms an integral part of the National Health Care System. Provision of Primary Health Care is the foundation of all rural health care Programmes. For developing vast public health infrastructure and human resources of the country, accelerating the socio-economic development and attaining improved quality of life, the Primary health care is accepted as one of the main instruments of action. Thus, recognizing the importance of Health in the process of economic and social development and improving the quality of life of our citizens, the Government of India has launched the National Rural Health Mission to carry out necessary architectural correction in the basic health care delivery system. The Mission adopts a synergistic approach by relating health to determinants of good health viz. segments of nutrition, sanitation, hygiene and safe drinking water. It also aims at mainstreaming the Indian systems of medicine to facilitate health care.

The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), a National effort at ensuring effective healthcare, especially to the poor and vulnerable sections of the society was launched (on 12th April, 2005 for a period of seven years (2005-2012)) throughout the Country with special focus on 18 states viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.