Tuesday 18 February 2014

Funding for Health and Women Empowerment

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
Under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), funds are released to States to strengthen their health care delivery for improving the health of population with particular focus on women and children. 

Although, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has no specific programme of women empowerment in villages, various interventions. 

Such as Janani Suraksha Yojana(JSY), Janani Shishu Suraksha Karykram(JSSK), Community Processes, including engagement of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Constitution of Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committee (VHSNC) having at least 50% women members, Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karykram etc. contribute to women’s empowerment. 

As far as the National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) under the Ministry of Women & Child Development is concerned, the Pilot “Convergence Model” to demonstrate convergence of schemes has been operational in District Pali, Rajasthan, since September, 2011 through 150 Gram Panchayat level centres. 

Women Convergence and Facilitation centres at the village, Tehsil and District level have been instrumental in creating awareness on Government schemes and programmes i.e Health & Nutrition, social, economic and political rights, bringing social issues affecting women to community platforms for discussions, mobilizing women to participate in decision making. 

19 Poorna Shakti Kendras (PSKs) in various districts have been approved to be set up under the Mission. Two such PSKs are being established in district Malda, WB and district Bundi, Rajasthan. The activities at village level under PSK are yet to start. 

The budget released for implementing the PSK model was Rs.3,23,84,000/- during the financial year 2011-12 & 2012-13 and Rs.1,38,90,886/- was utilized as on 31st March, 2013. 

Although there are certain States with poor utilization of NRHM funds, there is no State that is not utilizing the NRHM funds. 

This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today. 

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