The government will soon set up more than 12 new institutions to cater to new detections and cure new and emerging diseases, announced Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the union budget 2021. This is as part of the newly announced PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana for Rs 64,180 crore, which is in addition to the existing National Health Mission.
Sitharaman also said that this will support more than 17,000 rural and 11,000 urban health and wellness centres, set up integrated health labs in all districts and 3308 block health units in 11 states, establishing critical care hospital blocks and 12 central institutions. Through this, the government also aims to expand the integrated health information portal. The government will also set up a National Institution for Health and a regional research platform for the WHO South East Asia office and 3 regional National Institutes of Virology.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her third budget this year at 11 am. Amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Minister presented a paperless budget. This is the first time in India's history that a paperless Union Budget was presented. As the budget papers will not be printed, the Finance Minister had also launched an official mobile app to provide complete access to all budget documents. The mobile app can be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal www.indiabudget.gov.in.
The Finance Minister had assured a budget “like never before”. The budget 2021 has a greater significance as it comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused economic disruption.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman replaced the Swadeshi 'bahi khata' and switched to a tablet. She was seen carrying a tablet kept inside a red coloured cover with a golden coloured national emblem embossed on it. The Economic Survey 2020, presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday pegged the GDP growth at 11 per cent in FY22.
