The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched in April 2005 with the goal of improving the availability and access to quality health care for people, especially for those residing in rural areas, the poor, women, and children. Community Based Monitoring and Planning was first introduced in June 2007. The recommendation of formal conceptualization and inclusion of Community Based Monitoring and Planning processes by Jan SwasthyaAbhiyan, was accepted and included in National Health Mission.

The concept of Community Based Monitoring and Planning emerged as a result of ensuring community involvement in community led monitoring of availment of sustainable health services.

Scope and structure of Community Based Monitoring

Community Based Monitoring process has been implemented as a pilot in selected nine states of India of which Maharashtra is one of the State.

• The first phase started in 2007 covered districts of Amaravati, Nandurbar, Osmanabad, Pune and Thane.
• The second phase initiated in 2011 expanded the project coverage to Aurangabad, Beed, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Nashik, Kolhapur, Raigad and Solapur Districts.
• The third phase in the year 2017 included districts of Ahmednagar, Thane, Palghar and Ratnagiri.

The CBMP Project is now covering 17 Districts 36 Blocks, 138 Primary Health Care Centers and 1043 villages. The representatives of Health Officials, Panchayat Raj, Community Based Organizations / NGOs / Peoples Movements and villagers are part of Monitoring and Planning Committees at Village, PHC, Block, District, and State levels.

• The project is completely Community Centric.
• The community is involved not only in planning but also in monitoring of the village/ community based interventions
• All the stakeholders work in total co-ordination
• The project interventions have demonstrated convergent actions
• The activities like Decentralized Health Planning, AROGYA / Health GramSabha’s Social Audit and Public Dialogue have proved to be extremely effective
• The active involvement of Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committee and PHC planning and Monitoring Committees have demonstrated People’s accountability