INTRODUCTION

The interim budget presented by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the year 2024-2025 outlined the Government’s plans to strengthen the country’s healthcare system. The interim budget introduced several new initiatives focused on making healthcare accessible and affordable for all. The interim budget makes critical provisions for the healthcare sector by increasing the allocations for key central schemes and projects such as Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna, and National Health Mission, among others.¹

OVERVIEW OF THE HEALTHCARE BUDGET

The interim budget allocation for the healthcare sector is INR 90,658.63 crore. The Department of Health Research is allocated INR 3001.73 crore, and the Department of Health and Family Welfare has been allocated INR 87,656.90 crore. The budget for the AYUSH Ministry has increased significantly from INR 3,000 crore to INR 3,712.49 crore.

The budget for the centrally sponsored schemes has increased to INR 87,656.90 crore from the revised allocation of INR 77,624.79 crore in 2023-2024. The diagram below highlights the percentage of allocation under the 2024 interim budget for certain schemes and projects undertaken by the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUDGET

To achieve its mission of affordable and accessible healthcare, the Government has proposed to allocate substantial financial resources to the following segments: 

(a) Women and Child Healthcare

Addressing the need for a comprehensive approach to maternal and child healthcare, the Finance Minister announced the integration of all existing schemes under an umbrella program. This strategic move aims to enhance synergy and efficiency in implementing healthcare services for mothers and children. The Government is set to introduce a cervical cancer immunisation program for girls aged 9 to 14, aiming to decrease instances of the third most prevalent cancer in India. 

(b) Mission Indradhanush

The Government plans to launch the redesigned U-WIN platform as part of Mission Indradhanush. This integration can be instrumental in managing immunisation by increasing vaccination rates nationwide, leading to a decline in vaccine-preventable diseases.

(c) Anganwadi and ASHA workers

Improving Anganwadi centres is a significant focus of the “Saksham Anganwadi” and “Poshan 2.0” projects with focus on nutrition, early childhood care, and general child development. The Ayushman Bharat scheme provides insurance coverage of INR 5 lakh per family per year for hospitalisation expenses. The Government plans to extend the healthcare coverage under the Ayushman Bharat to include all Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers and Anganwadi workers and helpers.²

(d) Investment in Medical Education and Research

To alleviate the scarcity of medical experts and meet India’s growing demand for medical education, the Finance Minister plans to set up medical colleges using the existing hospital infrastructure in the country to address the shortage of manpower and make healthcare education accessible. A committee will be formed to examine the current challenges and provide recommendations for the smooth implementation of this plan. In addition, the budget diverts significant resources for development of nursing colleges co-located with medical colleges that have been established recently. Selected Indian Council of Medical Research laboratories will now be available for collaboration with faculty from public and private medical colleges to improve medical research.

(e) Research and Development

The Government has allocated a substantial corpus and a 50-year interest-free loan for research and development by private sector players. Such measures can aid private companies engaged in the research and development of medical devices and other novel healthcare technologies in India to contribute meaningfully and position India as a global innovation leader in the field of healthcare innovation.

CONCLUSION

Keeping the vision of “Viksit Bharat” in focus, the interim budget makes preventive healthcare a strategic priority. Enhancing immunisation coverage is a crucial focus that can be met by integrating the U-WIN digital platform in Mission Indradhanush. Utilising such strategic tools and initiatives, the Government can streamline the immunisation process and contribute significantly to providing access to quality healthcare to a larger population. Plans to establish medical colleges using the existing hospital infrastructure reflect a commitment to train future doctors and build regional capacity to achieve universal healthcare access. While the interim budget promises to combat several issues in the healthcare sector, the implementation of the interim budget plans will be crucial as several healthcare experts believe that there is a possibility of certain financial and logistical issues.

[1] Budget speech 2024-2025, 
https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/doc/budget_speech.pdf.
[2] Financial Express Budget 2024 News | The Financial Express, 
https://www.financialexpress.com/budget/budget-2024-healthministry-gets-over-rs-90658-crore-nearly-13-per-cent-increase-from-fy24-3381969/.