The Health Ministry on Tuesday said it had by August 24 last year released 50 per cent of the funds earmarked for states under 'ECRP phase II' to support them in Covid preparedness and prevention, dismissing a media report that claimed 26.14 per cent of the funds were provided. India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package – Phase-II is a centrally sponsored scheme to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the ongoing pandemic and strengthen the national health systems for emergency response and preparedness across the country.
The Health Ministry, in a statement, said, "A news channel has recently claimed that the Union government has only disbursed 26.14 per cent of the ECRP-II funds to the states. "It further claimed that funds were disbursed by the Centre by November 2021 and states have utilized 60 per cent of the approved funds. The news report is misinformed and claims are false, misleading and based on misrepresented facts," it stated. The Cabinet approved ECRP-Phase-II on July 8, 2021, for an amount of Rs 23,123 crore, with a Central share of Rs 15,000 crore and the state share of Rs 8,123 crore, to be implemented from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, the statement said. "Immediately after approval of the scheme, the Union government took proactive measures and released 15 per cent of the central share to states and Union Territories on July 22, 2021, to enable them quickly undertake the preparatory activities for implementation of ECRP-II," the Health Ministry statement said. "The second instalment of funds was released soon after as advance to the states in August 2021. A total amount of Rs 6075.85 Crore (50 per cent of central share) has already been released to states and UTs through National Health Mission by August 24, 2021. So far, expenditure of Rs 1,679.05 crore has been incurred by the 36 states and UTs under ECRP-II," it said.
The ministry asserted that the Centre has released 50 per cent of the funds earmarked for states and Union Territories and not 26.14 per cent as claimed in the news report. It further said, "All funds were released by August 24, 2021, and not in November 2021, as claimed in the media report and out of the Rs 6075.85 crore made available by the Union Government, Rs 1679.05 crore, (ie 27.13 per cent) have been spent by states as of December 31 and not 60 per cent as claimed." The remaining funds will be released to states based on the progress and utilization of at least 50 per cent of the funds already released. So far, five states have reported expenditures of more than 50 per cent, the statement said.
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