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UN body may deny funds for states AIDS projects(The Economic Times (India) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge): The Maharashtra government-promoted AIDS Research and Control Centre (ARCON) may miss out international grants, thanks to the state's inept handling of its affairs. The Geneva-based UN agency, the Global Fund Against Aids, TB and Malaria (GFATM), which has been pumping in funds into ARCON, has now decided to review its performance after receiving a number of complaints. The GFATM recently had sanctioned Rs 71 crore for ARCON projects. The GFATM's decision to review its operations comes, following controversies which have marred ARCON's functioning in the past during which its officials were shunted out due to differences with the state government officials. When contacted, incumbent medical education secretary AM Khan said, "I am reviewing the ARCON's overall functioning." "As per the rule, state officials should not run ARCON. It is supposed to be an NGO," an official concerned told ET. ARCON was started in '94 in association with foreign institutes. The secretary of the Maharashtra's medical education department as its ex-officio chairman. "It was expected, the state government, over the years, would give up its control over ARCON and allow it to function as an NGO. The institute was to be reconstituted to make it an autonomous body. Instead, it made ARCON another state-run machinery," an official said. The agency has its headquarters at the government-controlled JJ Hospitals. Later, the agency was appointed as a lead institution Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, besides Maharashtra. It also started receiving aid from the GFTAM to deliver anti-AIDS treatment in these states. ARCON was recently pulled up by National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) for its financial and overall mismanagement. It also has taken out the responsibility of three other states from ARCON, sources said. Sources added a fresh review by GFATM would add further trouble for ARCON. The process is expected to be over in another month's time. |