Budget 2021 first pillar: Health and well-being

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 presented the Union Budget. The first paperless budget is expected to work as an economic vaccine that will pave way for revival of the Indian economy.

The Finance Minister announced six pillars for this Budget:

1) Health and well-being

2) Physical and financial capital & Infrastructure

3) Agriculture

4) Human capital

5) Innovation and R&D

6) Minimum government, maximum governance

Here’s a look at some major announcements under the first pillar – Health and well-being:

A) PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana: This scheme is being launched to boost the existing health systems and support future health interventions with an outlay of around ₹ 64,180 crores over a period of six years. Under this scheme:

— 7,000 rural and 11,000 urban wellness centres will be set up

— Health labs to be established- Establishing critical care hospitals

— Strengthening of national disease control

— Integrated health portal to be expanded

— 17 new public health units to be set up

— Bridging all public health labs

— Strengthening of existing public health centres

B) Mission Poshan 2.0: To strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcome, the government will merge the supplementary nutritional programme and the Poshan Abhiyan and launch the Mission Poshan 2.0.

C) Jal Jivan Urban Mission: With an outlay of ₹ 2.87 lakh crore, over a period of five years, this scheme aims to achieve universal water supply.

D) Urban Swachh Bharat Mission: An allocation of ₹ 1.41 lakh crore has been set aside for this mission. It will be implemented over a period of five years starting 2021. Focus areas: Complete fecal sludge management and wastewater treatment, source segregation of garbage, reduction in single-use plastic, reduction in air pollution, especially waste from construction and demolition, and bioremediation of dumpsites.

E) Clean air programme: More than Rs 2,000 crore has been set aside for this initiative. This programme intends to focus on reduction of single-use plastic, air pollution and segregation of waste.

F) Voluntary Vehicle Scrapping Policy to reduce vehicular pollution: Under this policy, private vehicles will undergo fitness tests after 20 years and 15 years in case of commercial vehicles.

G) New vaccine rollout: Rs 35,000 crore has been allocated for COVID vaccines, expanding pneumococcal vaccine rollout across the country.