Par panel criticises Health Ministry for pending assurances

A parliamentary committee today came down heavily on Health Ministry for keeping an assurance made on the floor of the House pending for ten years, and recommended pro-active approach and coordination with Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs for its timely implementation.
According to the committee that scrutinises promises given by ministers on the floor of the House, one assurance given by the Health Ministry has been pending for nearly a decade since 2005 while four assurances have been pending for five and four years each.
"The inordinate delay in fulfilment of the assurance clearly reflects that little attention is being given by the Ministry in the matter of implementation of assurances," the Committee on Government Assurances said in its review report on pending promises pertaining to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

It said the review also indicate that the existing mechanism put in place by the Ministry is not effective in facilitating timely implementation of the pending assurances.
Expressing concern over the extent of pendency, it said, "The utility and relevance of an assurance are lost if there is inordinate delay in the implementation of the same."
The panel recommended existing mechanism to be strengthened and streamlined with a view to avoid delays.
The committee also observed that the lack of coordination with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the nodal ministry, is one of the major reasons behind delays in completion of certain assurances.

"The committee, therefore, desires that the Ministry should adopt a pro-active approach and coordinate with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs for early implementation of pending assurances," it said.