A landmark budget
was presented today by the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley with the agenda
of “Transform, Energize and Clean India’ with the intention of Sabka Saath,
Sabka Vikas.” This was stated by Shri J P Nadda while hailing the Union
Budget for the year 2017-18. Thanking the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji
and the finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley, Shri Nadda further said that this
is an inclusive budget which is pro-poor, pro-farmer, pro-downtrodden and for
the development of all the sectors and the country at large.
Shri J P Nadda
stated that the budget estimates for health show an appreciable increase of
more than 27%. From Rs. 37061.55 cr in
2016-17, the budget estimate for 2017-18 has been increased to Rs. 47352.51 cr (Net).
“This will help to attend tertiary care, human resources for health and medical
education and to strengthen NHM,” Shri Nadda added.
The Health
Minister further informed that the Ministry has spent 73.25% of 2016-17 budget
till now. “With this pace I am hopeful of spending the remaining budget for
2016-17,” Shri Nadda said. The Health Minister also stated that the Ministry
will also create 5000 Post Graduate seats per annum to ensure adequate
availability of specialist doctors to strengthen secondary and tertiary levels
of healthcare. Furthermore, two new AIIMS will be set up in Jharkhand and
Gujarat, Shri Nadda mentioned.
Shri Nadda
stated that the Government has prepared an action plan to eliminate Kala-Azar
and Filariasis by 2017; to eliminate Leprosy by 2018, Measles by 2020 and to
eliminate TUberculosis by 2025 is also targeted. Moreover, action plan has been
prepared to reduce IMR from 39 in 2014 to 28 by 2019, and MMR 167 in 2011-13 to
100 by 2018-2020.
The Union Health
Minister stated that steps will be taken to roll out DNB courses in big
District Hospitals and to encourage reputed Private Hospitals to start DNB
courses. Steps will also be taken to strengthen PG teaching in select ESI and
Municipal Corporation Hospitals.
Shri Nadda said
that as part of the Budget announcements, the Government is committed to take
necessary steps for structural transformation of the Regulatory framework of
Medical Education and Practice in India. There is a proposal to amend the Drugs
and Cosmetics Rules to ensure availability of drugs at reasonable prices and promote
use of generic Medicines, and New Rules for regulating medical devices will
also be formulated. These Rules will be internationally harmonised to attract
investment in this sector. This will reduce the cost of such devices.
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MV/SK
