Jammu and Kashmir/ New Delhi
Harsh Dev Singh NPP Chairman has expressed his dismay over the direct announcements of opening of new health centers and primary health centers in various villages and in certain selected constituencies by the Union Minister for Health, Gulam Nabi Azad.
He was referring to the statements of G N Azad made in Ukhral wherein the latter had announced to open 22 health centers in Banihal. He maintained that as per the prevalent policy and established conventions, the central govt. releases funds in favour of the state govt. and it is the state govt. which identifies the priority areas for funds utilization as per prescribed norms and procedures. He said that the decisions for utilization of central funds and centrally sponsored schemes are taken by the state Assembly and in the District Development Boards as per the procedures in vogue.
He said that there is a proper evaluation and assessment of the demands raised by members, legislators, survey of the concerned areas preparation of estimates and formulation of plans and proposals which are ultimately deliberated upon in Assembly and DDBs before formal approvals. He said that in the present case not only had the prevalent procedures been violated with impunity but the state govt. too had been bypassed in the process with the Union Minister going direct to the people and making announcements at the village and Block level.
Lambasting the newly devised modus operandi for the establishment of new health centers, Singh questioned as to whether the same practice was being followed by the Union govt. in other states of the country. He said that principles of accountability, fair play and transparency demanded that a rational criteria was adopted by the helmsmen for release of funds out of public exchequer having due regard to established norms. He said that in the present case the Union Minister had announced doles for particular area without taking the state govt. into confidence and without considering deserving areas. He said that though it was good to announce provision of health centers to Banihal which is otherwise a highly backward and remote constituency but the stipulated norms and procedures ought to have been followed. He termed the announcements as not only procedurally incorrect but also violative of the principles of Accountability and good governance.
