ALL DISTRICTS in Indore division will now be able to monitor activities — physical and financial — under the RCH-II (reproductive and child health II) programmes run across the state as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), thanks to a new software, introduced to keep tab on their progress on monthly basis.
The software has been made available at all the seven districts in the division and training for the staff, two persons per district — the district programme manager and an operator cum accountant — has also been completed. However, a trained operator has not been posted at all districts.
“All district health authorities submit a district-specific action plan for implementation of RCH-II programmes under the NRHM and the Centre releases the required funds. A need was felt to keep a tab on the expenditure proportionate to planning to utilise the maximum available funds under the scheme,” said Joint Director (Health) Dr S K Shrivastava.
“The districts are allotted funds according to the action plan and in next financial, a raise of up to 20-25 per cent can be demanded on the basis of performance. But a district may not be able to spend the total amount allotted in a particular year as a result of which, next year, it may even get a lesser amount,” Shrivastava told the Hindustan Times.
The software will keep a tab on each and every expense by the authorities right up to the work for the smallest unit, may be something related to logistics, maternal health or even awareness drives. “The idea is to see that the funds are actually utilised and not kept unspent for any reason,” the joint director said.
{{/usCountry}}The software will keep a tab on each and every expense by the authorities right up to the work for the smallest unit, may be something related to logistics, maternal health or even awareness drives. “The idea is to see that the funds are actually utilised and not kept unspent for any reason,” the joint director said.
{{/usCountry}}He further added that the data up to October 2006 has been uploaded and now with the software available at all district headquarters, data for November would soon be updated and things would run smoothly from December 2006 onwards.
The funds under RCH-II (NRHM) are mostly performance based and hence, the Department authorities are keen that no funds remain unspent giving a chance to reduce the budget next year. Strict instructions have been issued to properly implement programmes and, more importantly, maintain proper data to be uploaded in the software.
Speaking about the software, District programme manager for Indore Dr Monica Mandloi said, “The best part of the software is that once you have entered certain data and closed the account at the end of the month it cannot be tampered with. These files would be sent to Bhopal by the fifth of every month and can be opened only at the Capital, thus reducing the possibility of last moment corrections. We would be now on our toes to keep all records proper and do correct data entry.”
“We already have an integrated district service plan (IDSP) which looks after all our health programmes and this software would only streamline the operations,” she added.
The software will monitor all health activities – physical and financial. For example, at the press of a button, one can know how much amount has been spent on construction of a particular infrastructure or what has been the expenditure incurred during a particular health drive for child health.
Launched in April 2005, the NRHM aims to improve access of rural people, especially poor women and children, to ‘equitable, affordable, accountable and effective’ primary healthcare. It was launched throughout the country with Madhya Pradesh being one of the 18 states with special focus. Funds for various health activities and programmes under the RCH-II are separate from the state government expenditure on health.