Evaluation Study on National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Seven States Volume-I

Abstract

Health-care is one amongst the seven thrust areas identified by the Union Government under the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP). The NCMP mandates an increase in the expenditure in Health Sector—with main focus on primary health care—from the level of 0.9 per cent of GDP to 2.3 per cent of GDP over the next few years. With this ambition, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) on 2nd April 2005. It was operationalized throughout the country with special focus on 18 states including the 8 Empowered Action Group States (Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Orissa and Rajasthan), 8 North Eastern States and 2 hilly states of North India i.e. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir. The main aim of NRHM is to provide accessible, affordable, accountable, effective and reliable primary health care facilities, especially to the poor and vulnerable sections of the population. The mission further seeks to build greater ownership of the programme in the community through involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), NGOs and other stakeholders at national, state, district and sub-district levels.