Allocation to health in the Punjab budget is far from required – IDPD

Indian Doctors for Peace and Development appeals to increase health budget to 10 percent

Allocation to health in the Punjab budget is far from required – IDPD

Ferozepur, March 5, 2024: The Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) has expressed dismay at the very low allocation to health in the state budget presented today by Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema for the financial year 2024-25.

Despite stating by the FM that education and health are the focus area of the government, Dr Arun Mitra President and Dr Indervir Singh Gill member of Central Council IDPD said, “Whereas the total budget is Rs.2,04,918 crore, which is around 11.5 percent of the total budget expenditure. health has been allocated only 5,264 crores. This comes to only 2.56 percent of the allocation to health. This is against the required need of a 10 percent allocation to health if the quality of health services has to be ensured for all the people in the state. While it is Rs.13,874 cr for the agriculture sector and Rs.16,897 cr for the education sector, health has not been kept at par with these sectors.

They further said it may be noted here that the out-of-pocket expenditure on health in Punjab is one of the highest in the country. As a result, our health indicators are lower as compared to the states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Appealing to the government, Dr Mitra and Dr Gill said that this has to change and the budget on health should be reviewed and increased to 10 percent of the total budget.