Increase funds to ICMR for robust research: Par panel
Team Udayavani, Mar 11, 2018, 3:20 PM IST
New Delhi: A parliamentary panel has sought increased fund allocation to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as it fears that a funds crunch will adversely affect the research activities and development of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics in the country.
The panel, in its 106th report on Demands for Grants 2018-19 for the department of health, extended its support to the department’s demand for additional funds to the tune of Rs 350 crore. The department had cited less allocation of funds to the ICMR against its projected allocation.
The committee emphasised that the ICMR being the only custodian of health research activities needed to be promoted and encouraged so that tangible outcomes are witnessed for various health care challenges.
“The committee would like to urge upon the Ministry of Finance to increase the budgetary allocation to the Department of Health Research so that the latter is able to ensure continuity in critical health research,” the report said.
ICMR is an apex organisation to formulate, conduct, coordinate and promote biomedical research. It is one of the oldest medical research bodies in the world funded by the Ministry of Health.
The council’s research priorities coincide with the national health programmes such as control and management of communicable diseases, fertility control, maternal and child health and control of nutritional disorders.
The parliamentary panel also recommended the health department to formulate a comprehensive action plan while projecting its funds requirement before the Ministry of Finance and observed that constraints of funds should not come in the way of the medical research.
The committee said that the Department of Health Research has not been effective in persuading the Ministry of Finance for seeking required funds and therefore, the additional funds are received at the fag end of the financial year.
It recommended that the health department be more proactive in holding pre-budget discussions and forwarding the proposals for supplementary grant in order to ensure that the funds are released well in advance.
The panel also flagged under-utilisation of funds with respect to certain schemes like development of tools to prevent outbreak of epidemics (33.20 per cent), Human Resource Development for Health Research (53.15 per cent), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (69.68 per cent) among others.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Minor girl out with friend raped in MP forest; truck driver, associate held
Kangana says MVA lost in Maharashtra because it disrespected women
All-party meet: Govt seeks smooth Winter Session, Congress pushes for early debate on Adani issue
Container truck hits road divider on Mumbra bypass, disrupts traffic
National Consumer Helpline to roll out AI-based features, partners with 1,000 firms
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Gangavati Railway Station to be renamed Anjanadri: M.B. Patil
Bad timing: Fraudsters call senior Indore cop during press briefing to pull off ‘digital arrest’
Minor girl out with friend raped in MP forest; truck driver, associate held
Kangana says MVA lost in Maharashtra because it disrespected women
Ranbir Kapoor says he would love to remake grandfather Raj Kapoor’s ‘Shree 420’
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.