The government will continue to devote more money to health and education, about Rs64,366 crore.
The government will continue to devote more money to health and education, about Rs64,366 crore.
Health and education sectors cornered a big chunk of the allocations since three of the government’s flagship programmes are in these two areas.
The allocation for education is Rs42,036 crore. Money for school education has gone up to Rs31,036 crore from Rs26,800 crore last year. Higher education too, has been given a Rs11,000-crore (9,600 crore last year) boost. For elementary education, states will get Rs3,675 crore.
There is more money for health as well. The finance minister has decided to devote Rs22,300 crore to this sector, but of this, the government’s flagship National Rural Health Mission will alone corner Rs15,672 crore.
The finance minister has set aside Rs4,706 crore for technical education. This money will be used to upgrade existing institutions, and build polytechnics and IITs, IIMs and NITs. From the total allocation, Rs25 crore will be given to build new IIMs, Rs20 crore to new IITs and Rs60 crore to new NITs.
Adult education and skill development schemes will get Rs1,300 crore.
In the health sector, six new AIIMS-like institutions will get Rs750 crore so that they can start operations from this year. Besides, government will upgrade 13 existing medical colleges so that they can take in more students at under-graduate and postgraduate levels. The government has kept Rs300 crore to implement OBC reservation in medical colleges.
To make healthcare cheaper, the government is giving concessions on medical equipments, instruments and appliances.
The full exemption on assistive devices and rehabilitation aids will also stay and manufacturers of orthopaedic implants will get relief from import duty for specific inputs.
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