AP Govt Diverts Rs 600 Crs Of Centre Funds; GoI Serious!

The government of India has expressed its anger on the Andhra Pradesh health department for diverting Rs 600 crore funds of National Health Mission (NHM). As per the norm of NHM, the government of India provides sixty percent of its share and the rest forty percent matching grant should be provided by the AP government.

However the YCP government has not released its share of funds towards NHM and it’s been almost six months. This delay has troubled the suppliers and having waited for long, they reportedly lodged a complaint with the government of India. Nearly 15 suppliers have approached the Union Health Ministry and requested the ministry to speak to the AP government to release the funds.

Reacting to the suppliers’ complaint, the Union Health Ministry was surprised to see the AP government’s Utilisation Certificates (UC). Sensing something fishy, the health ministry has asked the AP health department to send detailed reports of UCs within a week and an action would be taken upon seeing the reports.

On paper the AP government informed the Health Ministry that it had transferred its share of funds towards NHM and taking advantage of these documents, the AP government acquired medical equipment and medicines worth Rs 430 crore. But when dug deep the YCP government allegedly diverted the Central funds to Jagan’s ambitious Navaratnalu scheme which is a direct cash transfer to the beneficiaries.