New Delhi/Hyderabad, Jun 25 (IANS): Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday urged Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda to immediately release Rs 693.13 crore pending dues to Telangana under the National Health Mission (NHM).

On the second day of his visit to the national capital, Revanth Reddy called on Nadda and briefed him on the initiatives taken by the state government to improve health facilities in the state.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the Union Minister was informed that the state government has been implementing all the norms of the Ayushman Bharat scheme since January this year. For providing better healthcare services in rural and urban areas, the Chief Minister apprised the union minister of the establishment of 5,159 Basti Dawakhanas (Ayushman Arogya Mandirs).

He also said since the state government was giving top priority to medical and health services, the Centre should extend cooperation to the state and release the dues pending under the National Health Mission.

The CM brought to the notice of Nadda that for the third and fourth quarters of 2023-24, Rs 323.73 crore dues were still pending under the NHM scheme. Similarly, dues pertaining to the first quarter of 2024-25 were pending to the tune of Rs 138 crore. He requested to release these funds immediately.

The Chief Minister also sought reimbursement of Rs 231.40 crore dues for the year 2023-2024, which the state government spent for the infrastructure and maintenance component, under the NHM.

He told the Union Minister that regarding the NHM scheme, the state government is releasing the entire anticipated central share of funds due to delay from the Centre, along with the state’s share to ensure no disruption in extending the emergency medical services and avoid any difficulty to the staff, since October 2023.

Ministers Komatireddy Venkatreddy, P. Srinivas Reddy, Rajya Sabha MP Anil Kumar Yadav and state Special representative in New Delhi A.P. Jithender Reddy were also present during the meeting.