Is India a veritable paradise for looters and bootleggers? What a shame to the nation, the doctors and their para-medical staff in U.P had indulged in a systematic loot of central funds released under NRHM (National Rural Health Mission, I suppose) to the tune of Rs 3700 crore out of Rs 8600 crore received over six years, as a preliminery report indcates (TOI of July 21, 2011). As usual the district-level officers assisted by their subordinates do involve in such underhand dealing to syphon off the funds placed at their disposal for implementation of various schemes. It is an open secret. Who is there to check such an activity? The higher-ups have no time even to allot the funds after getting proper sanction from concerned authorities and clearance from the finance department. Financial achievement by the end of the year is more important than the physical achievement. The lower functionaries have a field day. Sometimes they do pass on certain percentage of funds as their share even before they are allotted by the HODs and the ministers in some cases. The level of looting has gone to such an extent that the funds from GOI itself ensures a cut/payment from state officials which the Secretary or Joint Secretary of the Department in GOI may be aware of or may not be, one is not sure.
NRHM is not an exception and similarly UP state alone is not at fault. Probably all Missions initiated and monitored by PMO are subject to this malady invariably. Top to bottom either the functionaries are fully involved or sidelined conveniently if found non-co-operative in the process so that the loot could continue unhindered.
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