Jaitley announces health protection scheme for 50 crore people

New Delhi: Arun Jaitley's last full budget of the current BJP government, came up with a few mass-appealing health schemes, and describing one of them as the world's largest government-funded health programme.

The Budget speech described it as "Flagship National Healthcare protection scheme" with approximately 50 crore beneficiaries which is expected to benefit up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation and termed it "World's largest government-funded healthcare programme."

In addition, he also has spoken about "Aayushman Bharat programme" in which 1.5 lakh centres will be set up to provide health facilities closer to home. The allocation for this programme is Rs 1,200 crore. Further, the budget also mentions that the plan is to expand it to a "Universal health coverage" after seeing the performance of the scheme.

Again on health care, Jaitley allocated Rs 600 crore for tuberculosis patients, at the rate Rs 500 per month during the course of their treatment.

For expanding health education facilities in the country, Jaitley announced setting up of one medical college for every three parliamentary constituencies, with 24 New government medical colleges also being envisioned. Government also will work on upgrading hospitals to medical colleges.