Even two years after approving the proposal and earmarking necessary budgetary support for three years continuously, the plan by the Department of Health Research to frame a 'tripartite research policy' for better coordination among the different departments remains a non-starter, drawing ire from the Parliamentary panel for the second time.

The plan to frame the policy and a mechanism to coordinate, implement and streamline the research activities now being carried out under different departments was approved two years back. Initially, an allotment of Rs 1.5 crore was given and last financial year, Rs 20 crore was sanctioned in the budget.

However, the move still remained a non-starter with little progress and the department could only spend just Rs 2 lakh from the allotment so far. Official sources claimed that the 'modalities were being finalized in consultation with the Indian Medical Council for Research'.

In an earlier report on the demands for the grants for the department, the Parliamentary standing committee on health had urged the department to 'expedite the finalization of the modalities so that the allocation made for various activities under this scheme could be utilized optimally and judiciously'. Irked by the non-spending of the amount and the little progress made in this regard, the panel has taken serious view of it in its latest report.

“The Committee is constrained to observe that the establishment of Tripartite Research Policy and implementation/co-ordination mechanism for the three Departments is yet to start. More than one year has passed but the modalities are still being finalized; resulting in allocated funds of Rs 20 crore remaining unused. Position in 2009-10 remains unchanged. The committee urges upon the Department to make concerted efforts for getting this initiative, very vital for research projects originating in the three Departments, started,” its latest report said.

The mechanism was meant to coordinate mainly the health research activities being held under the departments of health and family welfare, Ayush and the newly created health research. As part of the policy, a National Health Research Management Forum was to be formed with the minister for health as the chairman and health research department secretary as the convener. The other members would include, the secretaries in the ministry of health, departments of Ayush, DST, Biotechnology and DSIR, among others including representatives from the industry and three eminent health scientists.