Gaighat, September 10

New mothers have been deprived of parturition allowance at District Hospital of Udayapur due to budget crunch for the past two weeks.

The government provides Rs 1,000 incentive for a woman delivering baby from a state-owned health facility. Chairperson of the hospital development committee Rakesh Khatri said they could not provide the allowance to new mothers as the fund was not released to the hospital yet.

“The health ministry doesn’t send parturition allowance to hospitals directly. The amount is sent through municipal offices. Hence, we have not been able to distribute the allowance for the past two weeks,” said Khatri.

“We tried to distribute the allowance mobilising our internal resources for some time but that could not sustain. We are in a deep financial crisis now,” said Bhola Chaudhary, assistant health worker of the hospital.

Triyuga Municipality Mayor Bal Dev Chaudhary said they could not send the fund as the municipal council was yet to be formed. “We will dispatch the budget after forming our municipal council within a few days. Those women who were deprived of the allowance will be provided the amount by reaching their doorsteps,” he said.