Guwahati, Oct. 10: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said despite high infant mortality rate in Assam, the state government has spent less on child healthcare after 2013-14.

In a recent report, the CAG has said Assam could utilise only 36.42 per cent of available funds for child healthcare from 2011 to 2016.

The revelation has come at a time the state government is facing flak for the death of 11 children in the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in lower Assam's Barpeta district. The Centre has chosen seven districts of the state for its Intensified Mission Indradhanush.

Through this mission that was launched on Sunday, the Centre has targeted to achieve full immunisation in selected districts where the state government earlier could not reach out to each child.

According to the CAG, Assam had spent Rs 2.54 crore on child health in 2011-12, Rs 5 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 17.54 crore in 2013-14. But in 2014-15, the expenditure dropped to Rs 14.95 crore and to Rs 9.37 crore in 2015-16.

The CAG also said Assam did not release its share of funds in 2011-12 and 2012-13 under Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Flexi-pool and Immunisation. These included funds for maternal health, child health, family planning, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Sishu Suraksha Karyakram, RCH camps and compensation for sterilisation.

'The year-wise utilisation was poor and ranged between 50 and 79 per cent only. Pointed out, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Assam, in reply in March 2017, stated that funds were released by the Government of India at the fag end of the financial year and hence remained unutilised,' the CAG said.

'The reply was, however, not tenable as even the funds available with the NRHM, Assam, could also not be utilised fully during these years under the programme. Thus, unspent balances resulted only in partial achievement of targeted goals, including fund cuts by the Government of India. NRHM, Assam demanded Rs 135.64 crore of which Government of India approved Rs 92 crore during 2011-16 under child health, but only Rs 49.40 crore (36.42 per cent) of the demanded amount could be utilised,' CAG said.

'Thus, in spite of having infant mortality rate (IMR) of 48 against the target of 25 as per the NRHM framework, there was decreasing trend of expenditure under child health after 2013-14. The specific reasons for less utilisation of funds were neither found on record nor stated to audit, though called for (March 2017).'

The CAG said according to rules utilisation certificate (UC) along with audited accounts of funds released during the preceding year need to be submitted for releasing the second instalment of funds by the Centre.

According to norms, the NRHM, Assam, shall appoint the statutory auditor by March 31 of the financial year. Preparation of annual accounts along with utilisation certificate by the statutory auditor shall be completed by June 30 and submitted to the Centre by July 31 of the succeeding year. The utilisation certificates need to be signed by the mission director, NRHM, Assam and countersigned by the statutory auditor appointed by the NRHM, Assam, for submission to the Centre's scrutiny.

'An auditrevealed that the NRHM, Assam, had delayed the appointment of statutory auditor for periods ranging from 49 to 79 days during 2011-16. Besides, there were delays ranging between 155 and 208 days for completion of annual accounts by the statutory auditor and between 125 and 185 days for submission of utilisation certificates along with the approved accounts to the Government of India, during 2011-16 by the NRHM, Assam. The delays stated above, ultimately resulted in delay in release of the second instalment for each of the five years (2011-16) by the Government of India,' the CAG said.

'Thus, the NRHM, Assam, could not ensure timely receipt of funds from the GoI besides inability to utilise the available funds affecting the healthcare service delivery in the state,' it said.