Union Budget 2013: Urban health mission gets a quiet burial

NEW DELHI: National Urban Health Mission, UPA’s ambitious plan focusing on primary healthcare for the urban poor, has been merged with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and no specific allocation has been made in the budget for the urban health initiative.
The Budget has allocated Rs 21,239 crore, an increase of 24.3% over the revised estimates, under the National Health Mission which will cover both NRHM and NUHM.The overall allocation to health sector went up to Rs 37,330 crore from Rs 30,702 crore in the current fiscal.
The six AIIMS-like institutes, which are expected to be fully functional in 2013-14, have been granted Rs 1,650 crore while Rs 4,727 crore has been allocated for medical education, training and research. The National Programme for the Healthcare of Elderly, implemented in 100 districts of 21 states, got Rs 150 crore. The Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) division got a major boost with Rs 1,069 crore.
Professor K Srinath Reddy, president, Public Health Foundation of India, said the allocation to health sector was below expectation. “The budget has failed to address the needs of the urban poor. There is no specific allocation. I think the initiative will be limited to some pilot projects,” he said.
Union Budget 2013
Budget news 2013 ​
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