The Centre-State tussle over allocation of funds has had a spill-over on the HIV prevention programmes in the State. The National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), which has not approved the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society’s (KSAPS) annual action plan for 2015-2016, has asked the State to bear the salary component of the total budget of the KSAPS. The KSAPS, which has so far been depending on funds from the NACO, has 2,240 employees and the total expenditure on salary is more than Rs. 50 crore.
A recent letter from NACO to the KSAPS has left officials worried. They submitted a proposal to the State government requesting allocation in the supplementary budget estimates. KSAPS Project Director S.G. Raveendra told The Hindu that NACO had informed them that if the State does not agree to bear the salary component, the Centre will indicate the exact share of the State.
