New Delhi India January 5 ANI Centre said it has released 50 per cent of funds allocated for States and Union Territories, and not 26.14 per cent as claimed in some media reports.
The funds were released on August 24 and not November, as claimed by the Centre.
The Union Health Ministry said in a press release that the Union Government has only disbursed 26.14 per cent of the Emergency COVID Response Plans-II ECRP-II funds to the states. The news channel claims that funds were disbursed by the Centre by November 2021 and states have utilized 60 per cent of the approved funds. The news report is misinformed and claims are false, misleading and based on misrepresented facts, it added.
The Ministry further informed that the Cabinet approved the India Covid 19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package Phase-II ECRP-Phase II on July 8, 2021 for an amount of Rs 23,123 crores Central Share -- 15,000 Crore and State Share -- 8,123 Crore from 1st July 2021 to 31st March 2022. The scheme has some Central Sector CS components, which is a centrally sponsored scheme.
The plan is intended to prevent, detect and respond to the continuing threat posed by COVID 19 and strengthen national health systems for emergency response and preparedness across the country, said the Ministry.
The scheme has a maximum of 20,308. A total of 70 crores are to be spent by states out of which Rs 12,185 are to be spent. The Ministry further informed that 70 crore will be provided by the central government and Rs 8,123 crore will be provided by state governments.
1679.05, crore, i.e. As of December 31, 2021, 27.13 per cent of the US spent were spent, and not 60 per cent as claimed in the news report.
After the approval of the scheme, the Union Government released 15 per cent of the central share to States UTs on July 22, 2021 to enable them to quickly undertake the preparatory activities for implementation of the ECRP-II.
The second instalment of funds was released soon after as advance to the States in the month of August 2021. A total amount of Rs 6075.85 Crore has 50 per cent of the central share, and has already been released to States UTs through the National Health Mission NHM by August 24, 2021. State-wise central share release and expenditure can be seen at Annexure I. The expenditure was 1,679 a year ago. It said that 05 Crore has been incurred by the 36 States UTs under the ECRP-II.
The Ministry said that the remaining funds will be released to states based on the progress and utilisation of at least 50 per cent of the funds already released.
They said that more than 50 percent of the spending has been reported by five states.