More than 800 medicines are being sold at lower price through more than 3 thousand Jan Aushadhi Centres. Cost of stents have been controlled. Special scheme for free dialysis of poor have been initiated.
These were some of the major milestones and achievements ushered by the Modi government while announcing Union Budget – 2018 amongst some of the gamechangers like providing free LPG connections to the poor of this country through Ujjwala Yojana. Under Saubhagya Yojna 4 crore household are being provided with electricity connections.
During the Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the creation of 1.5 lakh health centres and providing health insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year to 50 crore poor beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat Program of the Union Budget 2018.
Finance Minister announced Union Budget 2018 Flagship National Health Protection Scheme scheduled to cover 10 crore vulnerable families. The budget has also proposed to set up 24 new government medical colleges or hospitals by upgarding existing district hospitals. Maternity leave has also been extended from 12 weeks to 24 weeks. Giving a fillip to the MSME sector, an allocation of Rs. 3,794 crore has been allocated for the same
While Rs. 1,200 crore have been allocated for setting up health and wellness centres which will also provide maternal and child care, Rs. 600 crore have been allocated for TB patients, which will provide Rs. 500 per month to TB patients towards their nutritional support.
The indirect tax system, with introduction of Goods and Services Tax, has been made simpler. Benefits to the poor have been targeted more effectively with use of digital technology. The demonetization of high value currency has reduced the quantum of cash
currency and circulation in India. It has increased the taxation base and spurred greater digitization of the economy.
Finance Minister remarked, “Indian economy has performed very well since our Government took over in May, 2014. India achieved an average growth of 7.5% in first three years of our Government.”
Modi government launched Prime Minister’s Ujjwala Scheme to make poor women free from the smoke of wood. Initially our target was to provide free LPG connections to about 5 crore poor women. But in view of the pace of implementation of Ujjwala scheme and its popularity among the women, we propose to increase the target of providing free connection to 8 crore poor women.
Government has launched Prime Minister Saubhagya Yojana for providing electricity to all households of the country. Under this scheme, four crores poor households are being provided with electricity connection free of charge. We are spending `16000 crore under this scheme.
“Swachh Bharat Mission has benefited the poor. Under this mission, Government has already constructed more than 6 crore toilets,” Jaitley said.
