CAG report reveals low utilisation of funds in health schemes

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Tuesday found the Punjab government to have underutilised health funds ranging from 6.5% to 20.74% of the allocated budget. The performance audit report on management of public health infrastructure and health services 2024, presented in the assembly, mentioned that the government spent only 3.11% of total expenditure and 0.68% of GSDP on health services during 2021-22, which is much less than the budgeted 8% and 2.50% of GSDP.

The report also revealed that state programme implementation plans were submitted to the central government with a delay of 10 to 108 days, leading to delay in approval and receipt of funds. CAG pointed out that a huge amount of government money was lying unutilized in the Punjab Nirogi Society (Rs 4.92 crore) and the Chief Minister Punjab Cancer Relief Fund Scheme (Rs 76.81 crore) under the Punjab Nirogi Scheme as of March 2022. Additionally, user charges of Rs 1.94 crore collected by Rajindra Hospital, Patiala till 2021-22 and concessional fee amount of Rs 85.70 crore transferred to the Punjab Health Systems Corporation were also lying outside the government account, which was in violation of codal provisions.

The report said that implementation of centrally sponsored schemes like National Urban Health Mission, Family Welfare, Kayakalp and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) in Punjab was not in line with the set targets. There was a decline in the utilisation of funds allocated under various schemes, and cases of non-payment of financial assistance and incentives under Family Welfare Scheme and Janani Suraksha Yojana were reported. There has been a significant decline in the number of health institutions requiring rejuvenation and there has been no steady increase in institutions certified with National Quality Assurance Standards.

Inadequate staff in mobile health teams under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram affected the screening of children. Mobile health teams did not have any essential medicines, drops and ointments other than iron, folic acid and albendazole despite the unavailability of essential medicines prescribed by the central government. CAG also questioned the effectiveness of regulatory mechanisms to ensure responsible provision of health services.