New Delhi: Economic Zones (EZs) promoting start-ups in the health sector, along with an increased allocation for the segment are likely to be announced in the upcoming Budget.
Rural healthcare is also going to be a key focus area with a likelihood that diseases like hypertension could also be brought under the ambit of treatment in primary health centres.
On February 1, Arun Jaitley will present the last full-fledged Budget of the NDA government before the Lok Sabha elections so the government is keen to promote entrepreneurship, jobs and innovation in the health sector, said sources.
There is a likelihood that health EZs could be announced in the budget with the aim of promoting start up incubators under them, they said.
The Centre is bullish on innovation in various sectors as indicated by the setting up of the Atal Innovation Mission under the aegis of Niti Aayog to encourage new ideas. The proposed health economic zones could propel innovative ideas in the health sector, said sources.
According to inputs received by the finance ministry from various stakeholders, the spending in the sector should be more than 2 per cent of the GDP.
