FM Jaitley Announces World’s Largest Govt Healthcare Programme

Union Budget 2018 ruins Bollywood’s favourite healthcare crisis plot point.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley pitched big for the health sector.

(Photo: The Quint)

Remember Raju's father from '3 Idiots'? The frail, ill and bedridden father who has no money to get himself treated – it is one of Bollywood's favourite plot point. But, it seems like our Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, doesn’t really like that storyline. He has announced what he calls "the world's largest government healthcare programme" to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families.

Jaitley pitched big for the healthcare sector in his Union Budget 2018 speech on Thursday, 1 February, at the Parliament. He announced the launch of the flagship ‘National Health Protection Scheme’ – or the Ayushman Bharat programme.

The “world’s largest” healthcare program promises Rs 5 lakh per family per year for treatment in secondary and tertiary care hospitals, and Rs 50 lakh crore have been allocated for the same.

We are launching the flagship National Health Protection Scheme to cover 10 crore poor families. constituting approximately 50 crore beneficiaries. We will provide up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. This will be the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme.

Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister

Jaitley also announced the development of 1.5 lakh healthcare centres. “We are progressing steadily towards universal health coverage,” he said. The Finance Minister also announced that the government would now aim to have one medical college for every three parliamentary constituencies.

Overall, the government’s budget for health, education and social security has been increased to Rs 1.38 lakh crore for 2018-19 from Rs 1.22 lakh crore in the current fiscal, Jaitley said.

The policy is expected to benefit around 50 crore Indians.

If only Raju's family had access to this scheme! What's your take on this flagship national health protection scheme? Tell us, magar filmy way mein!