UP recommends CAG audit of funds utilisation under NRHM

Embattling allegations of financial irregularities under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the recent spate of murders of senior health department officials, Uttar Pradesh government on Friday recommended a special Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit into the utilisation of funds.

State chief secretary Anoop Mishra on Friday wrote a letter to India’s official auditor CAG, New Delhi in this regard.

NRHM is a central government scheme, wherein project-wise financial approvals are granted by the Centre as per set guidelines and parameters. The Centre monitors the implementation of these projects on regular basis.

In a review meeting earlier, state Chief Minister Mayawati had detected irregularities in NRHM working in Uttar Pradesh and had directed for monitoring by the chief secretary.

Meanwhile, the government is preparing a ‘financial manual’ for ushering in financial discipline and prudence in utilisation of government funds and it would be implemented in the next 15 days.

In recent months, two chief medical officers (CMOs) and a deputy CMO posted in the state capital had been killed, including a murder in Lucknow jail. The government had already recommended inquiry by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in all these cases following intense pressure from opposition parties, media and a court case.

It has long been alleged that all these murders were related to financial irregularities under NRHM, which involved huge sums of money.