Union Budget: Rs 69,000 crore provided for health care in Union Budget 2020-21

While presenting the Union Budget 2020-21 in Parliament today, the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “presently, under PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) there are more than 20,000 empanelled hospitals. We need more in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities for poorer people under this scheme. It is proposed to set up Viability Gap funding window for setting up hospitals in the PPP mode. In the first phase, those Aspirational Districts will be covered, where presently there are no Ayushman empanelled hospitals. This would also provide large scale employment opportunities to youth. Proceeds from taxes on medical devices would be used to support this vital health infrastructure”.

Sitharaman further said that health authorities and the medical fraternity can target disease with an appropriately designed preventive regime using machine learning and AI, in the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

She said, “TB Harega Desh Jeetega campaign has been launched. I propose to strengthen these efforts towards our commitment to end Tuberculosis by 2025”.

The Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs also announced to expand Jan Aushadhi Kendra Scheme to all districts offering 2000 medicines and 300 surgicals by 2024.