Indian Economy Explained: The role health budget plays in India’s economy

04/23/21 • 27 min

The Union budget 2021 claimed a 137 percent increase in health and well being. However, the Union health budget still remains at about 0.34% of GDP – a slight increase from 0.31% last year’s budget estimate.

The biggest scheme introduced in the past few years is the Ayushman Bharat scheme. In February 2020, the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman slashed the budget from Rs 6,400 crore to Rs 3,314 crore for the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. Also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY), this scheme was rolled out to cover a population of about 50 crores. However, this scheme though has been underutilised and has not made health more accessible to people.

With the unprecedented COVID-19 situation globally, India is also struggling with health care workers like doctors, nurses and other staff. And, it’s important to understand the economic approach to handling the inequalities in the healthcare sector in the country.

To know more about the role of health economics in the country and health budgeting, Kunika Balhotra, Suno India’s Research and communications Officer spoke to Dipa Sinha.

Dipa is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the School of Liberal Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi (AUD). Before joining AUD, she worked with the Office of Commissioners to the Supreme Court, Centre for Equity Studies and Public Health Research Network, and is actively involved with the Right to Food Campaign.

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To know more about the role of health economics in the country and health budgeting, Kunika Balhotra, Suno India’s Research and communications Officer spoke to Dipa Sinha.

See sunoindia.in/privacy-policy for privacy information.

Previous Episode

In West Bengal, Matuas asked to choose between Didi’s development and Modi’s promise of citizenship

Both the TMC and the BJP have been courting Matuas for their vote. So, we travelled to Thakurnagar, the mecca of Matuas in West Bengal, to find out what they want this election season. People on the ground praise the Trinamool’s social schemes but are hurt by the party’s corruption charges. BJP on the other hand is promising citizenship which is a prime concern for this refugee population.

Matua is a religious movement of the Namasudras, a scheduled caste. It was started by Namasudra leader Hari Chand Thakur to foster equality. When India was partitioned, the areas of Bengal with Scheduled Caste strongholds became part of Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Following religious persecution, many have been fleeing to India over the years. So, most people from scheduled castes in West Bengal belong to refugee families.

Our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to BJP candidate Subrata Thakur and TMC leader Mamata Bala Thakur, both from the Thakur family. She also spoke to local Namashudra women about their hopes in this election.

Also, listen to The importance of CAA to Dalits in West Bengal

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Next Episode

A health expert view on COVID-19 pandemic during Bengal election

Despite a very steep second wave in the country, in West Bengal it is politics as usual. The election lasted nearly a month, with political parties including Bharatiya Janata Party, Trinamool Congress and Community Party (Marxist) having election rallies. This, despite, many warnings by public health experts.

India is breaking records of COVID-19 positive cases across the world. Daily cases in the country have hit a new high of over three lakhs. In West Bengal too, one in every three people in West Bengal is testing positive. For the past few days, there have been calls on social media pleading for beds in Kolkata. The election climate though seems apathetic to the pandemic.

To get an expert perspective regarding the increasing number of COVID cases, strategies like Lockdown and the decision to curb these cases by Center and state, our reporter Suryatapa Mukherjee spoke to Dr Soumyadeep Bhaumik.
Dr Bhaumik is an international public health specialist working on policy impact at The George Institute for Global Health. He is also an Associate Editor for Evidence Synthesis at BMJ Global Health.

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