The allocation for health was ₹661 crore less than the ₹12,161 crore the BRS government had proposed in the previous Budget.
The vote-on-account Budget presented in the Telangana Legislative Assembly saw a year-on-year decline of 5.54 percent in allocation to the health sector.
Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka allocated ₹11,500 crore for the health sector in the interim Budget presented on Saturday, 10 February.
The allocation was ₹661 crore less than the ₹12,161 crore the BRS government had proposed in the previous Budget. Vikramarka pegged the total estimated expenditure at ₹2,75,891 crore, and allocated 4.1 percent to the health sector.
Terming a healthy population an asset to the state, Vikramarka said timely and effective medical treatment would add to the state’s wealth.
“Earlier, the Congress government had launched a very popular and innovative scheme, the Rajiv Arogya Sree, to provide free medical care up to ₹5 lakh to eligible families. Our government has doubled the threshold for medical treatment to ₹10 lakh. This will provide succour to many needy families, given the expensive medical treatment,” the finance minister said.
He added that the government would accord priority to complete super-specialty and other hospitals, medical and nursing colleges, which were in various stages of construction.
“NIMS, which is a prestigious medical institute needs expansion and we will provide the necessary assistance to further improve and extend the services of the institute. We will construct a new building for the historical Osmania General Hospital,” the health minister announced.
He also announced additional recruitments in the medical and health department to ensure uninterrupted services in the hospitals.
“Proper attention were not given by the earlier regime to complete the recruitments on time. On the contrary, we have fast-tracked the recruitment and have given appointment letters to 6,956 nursing officers,” he pointed out.
“We will strengthen the government hospitals and release funds for their administration. We will provide the required funds and staff. We commit ourselves to continue supporting the medical and healthcare sector,” Vikramarka, also the deputy chief minister, said .
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