124. NRHM officials live like kings. P S Remesh Chandran

124

NRHM officials live like kings

P. S. Remesh Chandran

Editor, Sahyadri Books & Bloom Books, Trivandrum
  Article Title Image By Rawal Kiran. Graphics: Adobe SP.
 

The state organizers of National Rural Health Mission live like kings with the money allotted from central government funds. It is widely believed that the Accountant General’s branches in the states are not allowed to look into their accounts. We shall take the particular example of Kerala which has the highest rates of literacy and health standards. When this scheme was introduced, the initial amounts allotted were utilized not for creating infrastructures in villages but for purchasing scores of costly cars for the officers to travel. They were all air-conditioned cars. Why were non-a/c Maruti 800 cars not purchased? The first directive to have come from central government ought to have been limiting only one car to each district and limiting the purchasing price of one car to 3 lakhs rupees. Costly cars purchased should immediately be sold in auction and replaced with Maruti 800s. This would bring millions back for being diverted to the rural areas. Then the spree was for purchasing buildings. The health services departments in all Indian states have enough buildings and space in the districts and in the headquarters to house NRHM offices. It is also transparent to operate this scheme from health services premises. Why did government allow this spend-thrift scheme to operate outside the main stream? Was it not to allow a new generation of officers to have enough freedom for corruption? The organizing and operating of the scheme should have been from the government secretariats. Every building taken by NRHM pays exorbitant rents and every building purchased cost far higher than market rates. Crores of rupees were pocketed by state organizers on this account. Does the government of India have this much money to spare? Is it not people’s money? Every building purchase and rental by NRHM officers should be investigated and illegally made money brought back to public exchequer. Now it has become something lucrative to be posted as an NRHM officer, just like postings to key check posts of the sales tax department. If the salaries the officers draw are looked into, we will not believe that they are serving the poor government of India. Each decides his own salary which is unbelievably higher than what are paid for equivalent posts in the state health services. Some argue that unless paid salaries commensurate with corporate standards, bright officers would not be available to lead NRHM. Why should we pay corporate salaries to a bunch corrupt to the core? There are brighter candidates to replace them at the state health department level salaries, at least in Kerala. Purchase of luxury cars, purchase and rental of buildings at exorbitant prices and rates and self-fixation and drawal of inconceivably high salaries in all states must be immediately investigated by the government of India and the state branches of the Accountant General assigned the charge of conducting their audits.

[In response to news article ‘CBI raids ex-UP health minister’s house in NRHM scam’ on 02 June 2012]

The National Rural Health Mission is going to gulp down a few more hundred millions of money from government as NRHM is behind this idea of creating a new special task force of family doctors for rural villages, it is going to be another massive scam. Once we look at what this money-gulping organization has been doing through the past years, we can understand the motive behind their new scheme, which is to be implemented through their subordinate organizations in the states. 

Flesh is something important and influential in government service. When a fleshy, protein-rich lady with sufficient curves and projections comes to work in an office, several changes in the seating arrangements and allotment of sections would be made there so as to sit her as lightly and cozily as the sex-starving officers would wish. Curvaceous flesh can move officers but not office files. It needs learnèd and dedicated officers and staff to move them. Flesh had been the selection criteria for recruiting staff to NRHM in all states. Second came relations. Third came recommendations. Right people with right qualifications were not even considered. If anyone has doubt, inspect all state level offices of NRHM and ask how and why only beautiful women came to be recruited as staff everywhere. Also inquire what ridiculous qualifications and certificates they possess. When they laugh, where they are willing, cheques are written for hundred thousands for non-existing projects, as if it is all that officers’ own private money. When months pass, the corruption becomes that of millions. A government steeped in corruption opened this goldmine of NRHM to appease IAS officers before they revolt against corruption. There was one story of a government secretary in Uttar Pradesh in North India who ate up millions from NRHM funds. Another health secretary in a southernmost state while holding office of NRHM insisted that he should be accompanied in his Delhi excursions by the most beautiful and curvaceous damsel working in the health department, to stay with him and to take part in his nightly rendezvous. When they returned to the state capital after a week, her salary was raised to 25000 rupees from 7000 rupees. That is how our money vested with NRHM authorities is burned out. A born sinner will never repent and even heaven will not touch that devil. A mad dog will not cure and that is why the world kills it. A person who is left at liberty to destroy the confidence citizens give to government and steel at will whatever government money is placed at his disposal will destroy human lives as well without hesitance or remorse. He leaves a trail of destruction behind him, his intolerance for having been exposed brutally expressing itself in causing him to destruct whatever solid human creations and relations comes his way.