Question : Funds for Family Planning Programme

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether according to Financial Management Report 2016-17 only 60.7 percent of the funds allocated to family planning programme were utilised and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether any analysis has been done to find the reasons behind the low expenditure on the family planning programme; and

(c) whether the Government proposes to enhance the budget for family planning in the financial year 2018-19 which at present is only 4 percent of the total RCH flexi-pool budget and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) & (b): Under National Health Mission (NHM), Family Planning is one of the major activities. The funds are approved activity-wise but are allocated/released to States pool-wise under NHM. Hence, a statement indicating SPIP (State Programme Implementation Plan) Approval and State-wise Expenditure towards the activity Family Planning under NHM during 2016-17 is enclosed at Annexure. Approvals are given on the higher side to improve the absorption capacity of the States. However, expenditure under the particular scheme depends on the overall availability of funds in a particular year. Moreover, Public Health being a State subject, its implementation primarily lies with the State.

(c): Government has proposed to increase the budget allocation under NHM for Financial Year 2018-19 to Ministry of Finance.