The National Rural Health Mission was launched in April 2005 with the aim of providing accessible, affordable, accountable, effective and reliable health care facilities in rural areas. The Pondicherry State Health Society could spend only Rs 13.37 crore (56 per cent) out of Rs 23.79 crore made available to them during 2005-09. The objective of long-term and bottom-up approach in planning was not attained. There were instances of inadequate health care services and infrastructure as well as shortages of medical and paramedical staff. There were shortfalls in administration of iron-folic acid tablets and Vitamin A solution. Cases of gender imbalance in sterilisation, decline in the number of institutional deliveries and treatment of in-patients in community health centres/primary health centres were noticed. The infant mortality rate and the total fertility rate did not show any improvement since the inception of the Mission.