Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the budget. The announcements so far have focused more on health and infrastructure. The Finance Minister has announced to spend Rs 2.27 lakh crore on road infrastructure in the four contested states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bengal, and Assam this year. The focus has been more on Tamil Nadu than Bengal.
Key Points of the Budget In Health Sector:
Also Read: Live Budget 2021: Finance Minister says budget prepared in circumstances like never before
1) There will be a focus on nutrition. Mission Nutrition 2.0 will be launched. Will also increase the water supply. 2.87 lakh crores will be spent in 5 years.
2) 'Jal Jeevan' mission will be launched for urban areas. 1.48 lakh crore will be spent in 5 years on the Urban Clean India Mission.
3) The pneumococcal vaccine will be introduced nationwide. With this, the lives of 50 thousand children will be saved every year.
4) Prime Minister Self-Reliant Healthy India Scheme will start with a budget of 64,180 crores. This budget will also be for the treatment of new diseases.
5) This will help the wellness centers of 70 thousand villages. Critical care hospitals will be started in 602 districts. The National Center for Disease Control will be strengthened.
6)Integrated Health Information Portal will be launched to connect public health labs. 15 health emergency operation centers will be started. 9 Bio-Safety Level 3 labs will start.
Also Read: Live Budget 2021: Finance Minister says budget prepared in circumstances like never before
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced that two more COVID vaccines will be launched in India soon. Sitharaman said that India already has two COVID-19 vaccines (Oxford AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, which has been indigenously developed.
“Today, India has 2 vaccines available and has begun safeguarding not only her own citizens against COVID-19 but also those of 100 or more countries. It has added comfort to know that 2 more vaccines are also expected soon,” Sitharaman told Parliament.