Yet, the government spent just 68 per cent of total funds allocated in 2016 to fight vector-borne diseases
Till May 2017, India has witnessed over 19,113 cases of dengue and chikungunya. The season for such vector-borne diseases peaks in monsoon months and continues till November. Even though outbreak of vector-borne diseases was on the rise in 2016-17, the Centre spent just 68 per cent of funds under the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), shows State of India’s Environment 2017 In Figures. Around Rs 163.48 crore (16,348 lakh) allocated under the NVBDCP was not released and hence, remained unspent.
A further analysis of the government data shows that although gap between amount allocated and released has reduced since 2013-14 (the UPA regime), the implementation mechanism seems to have definitely faltered in the financial year 2016-17.
In just three years (2014 to 2016), there has been around 300-400 per cent increase in incidences of chikungunya and 280 per cent increase in incidences of dengue.
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