With lots of potential for improvement of the Odisha health sector, the NITI Aayog has urged the State Government to participate in the ‘Challenge Method’ to be included in the new Development Support Services for States (DSSS).
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant has written to the State Government in this regard as the DSSS has been launched to improve and transform the health sector with funding and technical support by the Aayog.
Kant has said that this is a unique opportunity offered by the NITI Aayog for the States in the country to partner with NITI Aayog and experts from India and outside to embark on a truly transformational journey in the healthcare sector.
Being a leading State on healthcare, Odisha is expected to participate in the Challenge Method, feel experts in McKinsey and IPE Global.
These international expert groups are working in various fields in Odisha and have shown improvement in the State, said sources.
Experts feel that given the track record of Odisha such as current performances and initiatives, the State will be able to be selected in the DSSS.
The programme is to be taken up by three States over a 30 months’ time period to make potential improvement in healthcare system like maternal and child health, communicable diseases, non communicable diseases, and other issues like affordability of health.
Once selected, the NITI Aayog will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Government and embark upon a transformation process, said Kant.
The selected State will receive 50 per cent funding from the NITI Aayog for the DSSS programme.
Of late, the NITI Aayog has been supportive of Odisha as recently Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya took up the issues of the State with the Central Ministries.
Odisha has recently raised the issue of inadequate funding in child care sector and the Aayog was supportive for the State, which is facing tough time due to malnutrition and ill health issues of children.
While the State Government has prepared a road map to face the situation, inadequate funding from the Centre on this count is posing a problem for the cash starved State, admit officials.
Non issuance of Rs 86 crore on ICDS and on APIP over Rs 377 crore was pending with the Union Government, so total Rs 463 crore is needed to be released for the women and child development sector.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan raised the issue in the recent NITI Aayog meeting, which was taken up by Dr Panagariya, said sources.
Dr Panagariya is taking proactive role in favour of the States, said sources.