JOIN US Almost 1,000 officials and elected representatives from 200 cities across India are set to be trained by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad, and the Administrative Staff College of India, in better implementation of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).
“A vulnerability mapping is being done to understand what individual urban areas need and where the funds are to be channelised,” K Rajeswara Rao, joint secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said here on Friday.
The official said he had written to all the mayors in Karnataka to ensure the efficient use of the allocated funds, and called for improved focus and framing of guidelines.
Earlier, speaking at an NUHM workshop for urban local bodies, Rao said Karnataka was the top spender of funds sanctioned under the scheme in the past year. It has spent Rs 99 crore. Rathan Kelkar, mission director, National Health Mission, Karnataka, said the state had unutilised funds of Rs 38 crore as it didn’t use up the money sanctioned earlier.
Rao said there were 50% vacancies for Asha (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers and 40% for district programme management staff in Karnataka.