The Disease Management Association of India (DMAI) has urged the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), set up for the auditing of government expenditures to various sectors, to seriously consider auditing of unspent funds to the healthcare sector. In a representation made to Dr Murali Manohar Joshi, chairman of PAC, the association stressed it is essential to bring in accountability and transparency on why the funds that have been allocated for the use in various sectors go unused in spite of the requirement.
DMAI stressed that it has been observed time and again that a huge chunk of the allocated funds go back to the government exchequer, because the officials handling the responsibility was not able to use it appropriately. This they fear is because the officials who handle the charge either does not understand the need of the sector or they remain carefree since they are not questioned.
Rajendra Pratap Gupta, president, DMAI, pointed out that in healthcare sector which requires a major financial thrust from the government for various programmes, it has been noticed that a most of the funds assigned are either not released on time or are at times not released for the benefit of the sector. “There is already a huge hue and cry over the lack of insufficient funds kept aside for the healthcare sector. To make matters worse even from that funds allocated for the upliftment of the sector, a huge share goes without being spent, unused back to the government. We feel that this is because the administers do not feel answerable to the money unspent, since as of now they are only accountable for the expenditure made by the government.”
Gupta further added that for better administrative purpose and to ensure effective and timely use of the allocated funds to development purpose it is essential to start questioning the officials on unused government money. PAC which consist of selected members from the parliament, was constituted by the parliament for the auditing the expenditure of the government. However the DMAI stressed that along with getting the accountability of all the expenditure there is also an urgent need to get reasons on why the government have been lacking behind in spending money on much needed plans when the money was already sidelined for the same under the budgetary plan.
After the meeting with the chairman of PAC it was agreed upon by both the parties that there is a need to address this issues at the earliest. It is understood that following the meeting Dr Joshi has asked DMAI to submit a detailed data on all the unused funds in the healthcare sector compared to its requirement based on which they will be taking the required action.
DMAI informed that they have already started the work on this matter and will soon be sending the data to the government with updated data for their perusal.