(a) whether the Government has constituted Village Health Committee (VHC) without the involvement of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs);
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has failed to make health plan as a component of village plan and to select Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) through PRIs;
(d) if so, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the corrective measures taken by the Union Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a) & (b): The Framework for Implementation of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
provides for constitution of Village Health and Sanitation Committees within the overall
framework of Gram Sabha. The guidelines issued by this Ministry state that the Sarpanch of
the elected Panchayat should chair the VHSC. If the Gram Panchayat is made of more than one
village, the representing Panchayat should chair the VHSC. If there is a health subcommittee
of the elected gram Panchayat body that is active then all those members should come into
the VHSC so that there is no duplication and the decisions of the VHSC are binding on them.
(c) to (e): District Health Action Plans (DHAP) is the main instrument for planning
Intersectoral convergence, implementation and monitoring of activities under NRHM. DHAP
is to be based on information from various siources including information of villages
captured on various parameters including health a facilities, logistics, coverage of ICDS
programmes, availability of elected representatives of Panchayat Raj Institution etc.
The Guidelines envisages involvement of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRI) in selection
of ASHA. Majority of States except Rajasthan and Chandigarh have selected ASHAs with
involvement of PRIs.
In Rajasthan, Department of Woman and Child Development has Anganwari Sahayogini at
every Anganwari Centre to assist Anganwari Workers. State has decided to train these Sahyogini(Anganwari Helper) as ASHA and designated them as ASHA Sahyogini. In Chandigarh, Anganwardi
Workers have been nominated as ASHA.