'.. release Health Mission funds': Mamata tells Modi
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Kolkata: Holding back the Centre's funds to states under National Health Mission (NHM) would deprive poor people of their benefit, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a letter addressed to the PM, Mamata requested his intervention in the release of the said funds, reports IANS, which happens to have the letter in possession.
"It is most unfortunate that recently, I was informed that the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has withheld fund release under the National Health Mission to West Bengal due to non-compliance of certain colour branding guidelines for Health & Wellness Centres, despite other conditions being fulfilled. The withholding of fund release would adversely deprive the poor people of their benefit?" the letter to PM read.
Mamata details in the letter that currently, there are 1,100 functional health & wellness centres in West Bengal, benefitting over 3,00,000 people in the state daily.
"These buildings have been constructed since 2011 in accordance with the colour branding of the state," she wrote.
The chief minister also requested the Prime Minister to appreciate that changes in the colour brand by way of repainting so many buildings would involve significant infructuous expenditure.
"I would earnestly request you to kindly intervene for the immediate release of the NHM fund for West Bengal and for the removal of specific colour branding conditionality for the health & wellness centres for fund release under NHM so that the poor people do not suffer from lack of quality health services," the letter said.
