Even four years after a task force mooted the idea, the proposal for launching an exclusive National Urban Health Mission to effectively address the health needs of the urban poor is still caught between the different ministries for a final approval.

Though the Centre had sanctioned Rs 4495 crore during the current 11th Five Year Plan to reverse the healthcare fortunes of over 60 million slum dwellers through a number of existing health flagship programmes last year, the mission did not take off yet. This was mainly because the health ministry under the new minister has gone slow over the proposal which was keenly pushed by the former minister. The proposal was still under consideration 'in consultation with the concerned ministries’, according to official sources.

However, it is learnt that the file is caught between the departments like urban development, planning and the health. Though it was sent to the urban development ministry for consideration, the health ministry is not very keen on the finalization of the same by pursuing the matter now, sources indicated.

The ambitious proposal, on the lines of the National Rural Health Mission, was first suggested by a task force way back in 2005 to effectively address the health needs of the urban population in general and urban poor in particular. The studies in support of the proposal also showed that urban health indicators, in comparison to the rural indices, were not improving in proportion. Around 30.1 per cent of children under three years in the urban areas were found to be underweight while the proportion in rural areas was 43.7 per cent. After the NHRM, things have improved in rural areas.

The scheme was to be launched last financial year itself, around February, 2009. And Rs 50 crore earmarked for the last financial year thus got lapsed. As per the plan, all cities with population above one lakh and state capitals would be covered under it. As many as 430 cities with a total population of 22 crore with focus on 6.25 crore population in the listed and unlisted slums would get the benefits.

As per 2001 census, 28.6 crore people live in urban areas, out of which 3.26 crore live in slum areas of the cities/towns having a population of 1 lakh and above. However, as per the latest estimates, it has crossed five-crore mark.