New panel for NRHM

The government has taken these decisions in the wake of the financial irregularities that has come to light during the police investigation into the recent murder cases of two Chief Medical Officers of Family Welfare,Lucknow.

Meanwhile,the investigators continue to collect evidence to link the financial irregularities in the Family Welfare Office,Lucknow,with that of the murder cases of CMOs Dr V K Arya and Dr B P Singh.

Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said the important part of the NRHM scheme is that the fund is allotted to the state’s family welfare department directly from the Centre. Then the fund reaches the societies concerned,he added. “Prima facie,the police found irregularities in the payments made under this scheme,” he said.

According to him,the government has now decided to reconstitute the executive committee that handles NRHM scheme. “Now the Chief Secretary would be head of this committee,” he said.

He also said that the government has taken a decision to nominate a finance officer at district level and there shall be internal and external audit by the government agencies. He said that now financial rules would be in place for implementation of the NRHM scheme. He said that around Rs 21 crore was allocated under NRHM for Lucknow district in the financial year 2009-10.

Referring to the murder of the two CMOs,the Cabinet Secretary said both the slain CMOs had tried to remove the irregularities in the NRHM schemes in Lucknow and had undertaken tour of the Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in their areas.

“After the killing of Arya,the then deputy CMO Dr Y S Sachan took over the charge of Lucknow,CMO (Family welfare). Within two months of Arya’s murder in October last year,Sachan had made payment of Rs 3 crore and 49 lakh under the NRHM,” Singh said.

He alleged that several irregularities were committed during the tenure of Sachan. Fake payments were made in the name of hiring vehicles under NRHM schemes,besides,the payments for diesel used by hospitals were made in cash,instead of cheque payment to the firms concerned,he said.

He said the police are trying to trace the properties owned by Sachan.

The Cabinet Secretary said the investigators have found some files from B P Singh’s residence,relating to bills that were supposed to be signed by him.

The police have taken Sachan on remand twice,but could not interrogate him thoroughly because of his poor health condition,he said. He added that reward for arresting the accused,Sudhakar Pandey,has nbeen increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

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