The annual Indian budget of 2008 has been presented today by the honorable Finance Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram. A lot of changes have been made in the health sector. Here are the major declarations on the health sector:
- The allocation that is provided to the health and educational sector has been increased to 20%
- The excise duties on the anti-AIDS drugs have been brought down
- The sanitation program would receive ` 1200 crores
- The customs duties on some of the bulk-drugs have been brought down to 5%
- A desalination plant worth ` 300 crores would be set up around Chennai.
- 17 lakh families of weavers have been included in the Health Insurance program
- The allocation provided to the National Rural Health Mission has been increased by 15%.
- Life Insurance Corporation would provide coverage to all the women Self-help Groups that are connected to banks
- All the people working in the unorganized sector would receive health coverage of ` 30,000.
- ` 12,050 crores would be allotted to strengthen the health services in the villages
