Budget 2020: Thumbs up from healthcare leaders
The medical and healthcare fraternity has provided positive reactions to the Budget proposals for the next fiscal year.
The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Saturday, presented the Union Budget 2020-21 in the Lok Sabha.
Here’s what leaders say:
Sushant Raorane, Co-Founder and Director, Adroit Biomed
“A holistic effort by the government to facilitate ease of living and ease of doing business; the Budget 2020 comes as a hope for the stagnant economy.
With an allocation of Rs 69,000 crore for the healthcare sector and Rs 35,600 crore for nutrition-related programmes, health and wellness industries have received due attention in the Budget.
In addition, promoting entrepreneurship and facilitating easy tax structures for business, strengthening the infrastructure and cold chain logistics as well as focus on skill development — are the areas which will benefit the nutraceutical sector immensely in India.
As entrepreneurs in the nutraceuticals space – a promising sector with huge growth potential — I see tax policies like reduction in corporate tax for companies to 22 per cent, removal of DDT and simplified return for GST (being introduced from April 2020), as impactful initiatives that will help drive business.”
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Amol Naikawadi, JMD, Indus Health Plus
“The Union Budget 2020 is more of a forward-thinking Budget with a holistic vision to accelerate the growth and enhance the well-being of the countrymen.
The allocation of 69,000 crore for the healthcare sector; Rs 6,400 crore for PM Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is a positive step.
The government’s focus on enhancing the reach of hospitals in tier 2 and 3 cities, will further help in providing extensive medical care at district level and reinforce the commitment to universal healthcare for all citizens.
Moreover, by enabling the PPP model, it will encourage private players to come forward for an investment in healthcare. In addition, it will also create job opportunities for the healthcare sector in the country.
Apart from this, the government’s step to increase the number of doctors, both general as well as specialists, will strengthen the overall Indian medical ecosystem. This move will also improve the doctors-to-patients ratio in our country.”
Alok Kohli, Business Director, DSM India
“The government’s idea of aspirational India will significantly help to improve the nutrition ranking of the country. The funds allotted for nutrition-related programmes is a step to combat the dire issues of hidden hunger and malnutrition.
The initiative of equipping anganwadi workers with smartphones and empowering them to keep a check on the nutrition status of households is a commendable step.
With the allocated budget for nutrition related programmes, we are expecting the government to introduce more campaigns to boost food system for the Indian population by facilitating nutritious and affordable food to every household.”
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Nivedita DasGupta, India Country Head, Miracle Foundation India
“The fact that the nutritional status of more than 10 crore households will be recorded by Anganwadi workers is remarkable, and the Rs 35,600 crore proposed for nutrition-related programmes is a necessary development.
A systematic, standardised framework will be essential for its effective implementation.
Further, the Rs 28,600 crore allocation for women-linked programmes is of particular importance in terms of reducing maternal mortality rates, and we welcome this proposal wholeheartedly.”