The government has decided to constitute District-Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committees (DLVMC) under the chairmanship of Lok Sabha MPs in every district to monitor the progress of implementation of the National Health Mission (NHM).
The NHM envisages a robust mechanism for monitoring its various activities. The MPs are already involved in the activities taken up by the District Health and Family Welfare Societies and Hospital Management Committees for planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the NHM.
The greater involvement of the MPs will help in ensuring enhanced community involvement and accountability in NHM activities in rural and urban areas, it is hoped.
The DLVMCs will monitor the progress of implementation of the NHM under the overall framework for implementation and also review the adherence to prudent fiscal norms, inter-sectoral convergence, community participation, and monitoring, the GO says.
Where there are more than one MP representing a district, the MP holding a position of office will be nominated as chairperson first or, if not, the senior-most MP will be the chairperson.
Members
The members of DLVMC will include all MPs in the district, MLAs, chairperson of district panchayat, Mayor/municipal chairperson, district programme manager of the NHM, chairpersons of block panchayats in the district, district medical officer, district social welfare officer, and district planning officer, among others.
The terms of reference of the DLVMCs include review of the progress of the implementation of the annual district health plan under NHM; review of the release of funds by Centre and States; utilisation of these funds; ensuring constructive engagement and participation of all other departments concerned in the district for multi-sectoral intervention; review and ensuring effective inter-sectoral convergence and robust community participation; and recommending corrective measures to ensure that the programme objectives are achieved.
The DLMC meetings are to be held at least once in every quarter and at the end of every quarter, detailed status reports of the meetings will be furnished to the NHM at the Centre, the State Health Secretary, and the State Mission Director of NHM, the GO says.
MPs’ involvement expected to ensure accountability in NHM activities
Meetings to be held at least once every quarter
