Low Budget allocation to healthcare: Fin secy says it is primarily states’ responsibility
PTI, Feb 21, 2022, 1:10 PM IST
Sources: unsplash
Mumbai: Finance Secretary T V Somanathan on Monday said healthcare is primarily the responsibility of the states, amid suggestions of the budgetary allocation to the sector still being low at 1.3 percent of GDP.
He said the Centre provides for some ”cross-cutting health infrastructure” and also spends on the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which helps people from lower strata of the society to access healthcare.
According to the budget proposals for FY23, the government is planning to spend about Rs 83,000 crore on healthcare, the same as it did in FY22, even as the pandemic is still on.
At a post-Budget interaction of the industry with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, lobby grouping CII President T V Narendran said the spending on healthcare, though higher than in the past, is 1.3 percent of GDP, while the expectations are that the government should spend over 3 percent.
”The figures have to be seen in the context of it being primarily a state government responsibility,” Somanathan said.
”Anytime we discuss targets on the percentage of GDP to be spent on various sectors such as health, education, defense — we have to remember that any increases there will require increases in the tax-to-GDP ratio and I request the cooperation of the industry to increase that also,” he added.
He said the government’s emergency credit-linked guarantee scheme announced following the pandemic has also given a Rs 50,000-crore window for credit supply to the healthcare sector and asked the corporate sector to take full advantage of it.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said healthcare needs a lot more attention not just from the government but also from the private sector.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Traffic noise can increase risk of cardiovascular disease: Study
Nearsightedness is at epidemic levels – and the problem begins in childhood
Study finds genetic basis for link between depression, heart disease
World Malaria Day: WHO calls for equitable health access
What role does genetics play in breast cancer? How can genetic testing help with early breast cancer diagnosis?
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
CNG shortage plagues Udupi district, Motorists face hours of waiting
Karnataka MGNREGA workers with wages from Modi government, demands Congress
Grisly discovery: Security guards of Cooperative bank murdered in Kerala
T20 World Cup: NZ squad announced; Ravindra, Henry first-timers in Williamson-led team
Markets rebound in early trade amid global rally, buying in ICICI Bank and Reliance