The Union budget proposal to integrate rural and urban heath missions has been received well though

experts lamented the rather poor outlay under the combined scheme. Finance Minister P. Chidambarams 2013-14 budget offered among others a host of proposals on the health sector laying special focus on medical education, research and training. The UPA governments ambitious project National Urban Health Mission focusing on providing basic health care services to the urban poor has been grouped with the National Rural Health Mission under one umbrella named as the New National Health Mission. The budgetary allocation under this mission has been fixed at Rupees 21,239 crore, which is an increase of 24.3 percent over the revised expenditure. Expressing his dissatisfaction on the budgetary allocations made for health sector this year, Dr. Sunil Mehra, executive director at Mamta, a health focus non-governmental organization, Delhi , said, The budget is really disappointing as the allocations made under the National Health Mission is not at all sufficient to cater to the quality care and infrastructural development. It is not only ideal to give free services to the poor but the services provided should be of high quality, argued Dr. Mehra at Mamta. Special emphasis has been laid on medical education, training and research and this sector has been allocated an amount of Rupees4, 727 crore. The six AIIMS-like institutions have admitted their first batch of students in the academic session that commenced in September 2012. The hospitals attached to the colleges will be functional in 2013-14. They will be provided a sum of Rupees 1, 650 crore for these institutions. Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy are being mainstreamed through the National Health Mission. Rupees 1, 069 crore has been allocated to the Department of AYUSH. Also, the National Programme for the Healthcare of Elderly, implemented in 100 districts of 21 states, got Rupees 150 crore. Terming it an average budget but a better one than last year, Rajiv Tewari, director, health & wellness at Rockland Hospital, Delhi, said, Its better than the last years budget as it has given some benefits for the old and has kept a higher spend for Medical Education and Training. The Finance Minister has missed many important decisions in the current budget that could have energised the health sector and fueled its growth. Reiterating the view, Tewari at Rockland Hospital concurred, The health care sector needs to be given the industry status which will lower the interest rate of debt which was not mentioned in the budget. Also, removal of import duty on costly diagnostic equipments for MRI and CT etc would have brought down the cost of health care and would have allowed new technology to come into our country as these equipments are fully imported as of now, lamented Tewari at Rockland Hospital. Exhibit 1: Comparison of budget on health sector (2012-13) Vs (2013-14) Budget 2012-13 Budget 2013-14

Allocation for National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) proposed to be increased from Rupees 18, 115 crore in 2011-12 to Rupees 20,822 crore in 2012-13.

The new National Health Mission that combines the rural mission and the proposed urban mission will get Rupees 21,239 crore, an increase of 24.3 percent over the RE.

Rupees4, 727 crore for medical education, training

and research will be provided.

Rupees 150 crore will be provided for The National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly which is being implemented in 100 selected districts of 21 States.

Eight regional geriatric centres are being funded for the development of dedicated geriatric departments

Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy are being mainstreamed through the National Health Mission. Rupees1, 069 crore has been allocated to the Department of AYUSH.

The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aimed at setting up AIIMS-like institutions and up gradation of existing Government medical colleges are being expanded to cover up gradation of seven more Government medical colleges; however no allocations made for this.

The six AIIMS-like institutions have admitted their first batch of students in the academic session that commenced in September 2012.

The hospitals attached to the colleges will be functional in 2013-14. They will be provided a sum of Rupees 1, 650 crore for these institutions.

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