NRHM scam: A CMO explains how the scheme works in UP

He became Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of a district in Uttar Pradesh just four months ago and inherited chaos. He lives in fear, as two CMOs – Dr B P Singh and Dr Vinod Arya – have already been killed. And the person who was accused of their murders, Deputy CMO YS Sachan, also died under mysterious circumstances in prison. He recently acquired the status of CMO. He says he loves his position, but he fears that he has no option but to toe the line of his bureaucrat and politician bosses. He spoke to Firstpost on condition of anonymity. This reporter recorded this interview, but Firstpost is not releasing it because he requested anonymity. A CMO’s view on the entire NRHM scam, which involves Rs 9400 crore in a span of five-year rule of BSP’s Mayawati, is extremely important. How did it happen? Why did it happen? And who are involved? The CMO is a crucial link or medium between workers on the field, NGOs, contractors and the bureaucrats and politicians. [caption id=“attachment_232193” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Mayawati’s government is accused of allowing the creation of additional Chief Medical Officer (CMO) posts which allowed funds under the NRHM scam to be misused. Firstpost”]  [/caption] The CMO we interviewed said, “Once Rajiv Gandhi in his speech said that only Rs 10 out of Rs 100 reaches the targeted population under social welfare schemes. This is true even today. There is a lot of noise over NRHM, but take any other social welfare scheme – MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) or middle education program in UP. The thumb rule is that only 10 per cent of the social welfare funds reach the poor and if the 10 per cent work happens, we should consider it a good sign! NRHM is an issue because the elections in UP are happening.’’ The CMO says the bureaucrat-NGOs nexus is the biggest culprit in NRHM scam. “Just investigate these NGOs. IAS officers run most of them through their wives and relatives. They put all kinds of pressure on us to assign work to these NGOs. Only now, when the CBI is investigating the NRHM, did I dare to check the antecedents of eight or 10 NGOs working in my area.’’ “But see the flip-side of it,’’ the CMO says. ``I am expecting an order from my bosses anytime (after the UP Assembly elections), asking me why NGOs are not given work in my area, when a huge amount of funds is allocated for NRHM work.” “So either I allow these NGOs to work arbitrarily or if I stop them I will be under the scanner. That’s the dilemma,” he said. Firstpost had earlier written about how the CBI was investigating NGOs that had been bought by bureaucrats, run by their relatives and were awarded projects under the NRHM. “If you spend money (from NRHM), you are accused of spending it wrongly. And if you don’t spend, why didn’t you spend it? They (the State government) release money in February and ask us in March why we haven’t spent the money!’’ he said. Against this backdrop, the CMO asked,“Am I mad to take on my Secretary (bureaucrat boss)? Am I here to make enemies? I am not strong enough take on my bosses!’’ [caption id=”" align=“alignright” width=“380” caption=“Two CMOs allegedly involved in the scam were found dead and another died mysteriously in prison. An accountant from the health department was also found smothered. Screen grab from CNN-IBN”][/caption] The CMO also said that big rural health projects involving large sums of money are routed through State PSUs like UP Small Industries Corporation Ltd (UPSICL). Little surprise then that the CBI has arrested UPSICL managing director Abhay Kumar Bajapai for his alleged role in awarding NRHM projects in a pre-decided manner. The CBI is also investigating if funds under NRHM were siphoned off after the state-run PSUs allocated projects in a pre-decided manner. The CMO also questioned role of the Central government (Union Health Ministry) in the NRHM scam in UP. “Health projects under NRHM are on since 2005. What was the Centre doing till date? Aren’t they supposed to monitor the money they gave us? Didn’t they send their own teams for monitoring? The Central government’s teams had come to inspect. They were happy to close their eyes when they were given Rs 20,000 (as a bribe), their flight tickets were arranged and luxurious arrangements were made for their stay, when they came for the inspections,” he said. “I think the Centre is the biggest culprit. Didn’t the Centre know that State government didn’t give even five per cent of its 15 per share in medical projects under NRHM? While Mayawati was spending NRHM money on installing her own statues, the Centre was profusely giving us NRHM money and was asking us to spend NRHM money fast,’’ the CMO concluded.