Notwithstanding the announcement by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the budget, the launch of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) will depend on the final comments and clearance from the Planning Commission being awaited.

During the XIth Five Year Plan, Rs.4,495 crore were allocated for proposed NUHM, but it could not take off. Although proposal on NUHM was approved by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in September, 2008, the programme could not be launched as the Planning Commission asked this Ministry to consider certain other aspect which influence both access and quality of Public Health Services Delivery including good practices that are followed in some countries.

“This required wider stakeholder consultation revisiting of framework for NUHM. Revised framework and EFC note has been circulated to concerned ministries and comments on the same have been received from most of them. After comments are received from the Planning Commission, further action will be taken for seeking necessary approvals for the launch of NUHM,” according to official sources.

The Centre proposes to merge the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the yet-to-be-launched NUHM in the 13th Five-Year-Plan period. The two ambitious Missions will be separate entities in the upcoming 12th Five-Year-Plan period, after the launch of the urban health mission, but subsequently merged.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Planning Commission is in favour of the Mission as it wants to give thrust to the urban and rural health during the 12th Plan period. The NUHM is expected to cover all cities and towns with a population of more than 50,000, broadly covering 779 cities and towns including seven mega cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.

The budget allocation for the mission is envisaged to be Rs.30,000 crore and the programme will be implemented by investing in health professionals, creating new and upgradation of existing infrastructure, and strengthening the existing health care service delivery system.