Without putting much pressure on the exchequer, the interim budget made a few announcements for healthcare, while the demand for increased allocation for healthcare after the pandemic has been strong.
The Ayushman Bharat scheme has been extended to ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers and helpers. According to reports, there are 1.2 million Anganwadi workers and 8,57,000 ASHA workers in India. However, the allocation for medical and public health in the interim budget has only been marginally increased by 2 per cent to Rs 39,603 crore against Rs 38,774 crore in the previous budget. In the revised budget, however, the allocation had come down to Rs 36,742 crore.
Further, various schemes for maternal and child care will be brought under one comprehensive programme for synergy in implementation. Upgradation of Anganwadi centres under “Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0” will be expedited for 14 improved nutrition delivery, early childhood care, and development, the budget said.
The budget also revealed the government’s plan to set up more medical colleges by utilizing the existing hospital infrastructure under various departments. A committee for this purpose will be set up to examine the issues and make relevant recommendations.
It will also encourage vaccination for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for the prevention of cervical cancer. The newly designed U-WIN platform for managing immunization and intensified efforts of Mission Indradhanush will be rolled out expeditiously throughout the country, it said.
