Budget 2021: FM Sitharaman announces Rs 64,180 cr boost for healthcare, Rs 35,000 cr for COVID-19 vaccines

During the lockdown last year, PM Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojna worth 2.76 lakh crore for the poor and the needy,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting Union Budget 2021-22 today. She is using a 'made in India' tablet computer to deliver a paperless Budget address. This Budget assumes greater significance as it comes amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has led to massive economic disruption in India and around the world.

“During the lockdown last year, PM Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojna worth 2.76 lakh crore for the poor and the needy,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started her speech.”

She said, “Preparation of this Budget was undertaken under circumstances like never before. We couldn't have imagined the global slowdown during the last Budget. We announced the 'Aatmanirbhar' Package in May 2020 to sustain recovery. Atmanirbhar Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Yojana were like 3-4 mini Budgets in themselves.”

“The total financial impact of all Aatmanirbhar Bharat packages, including measures taken by RBI, was about Rs27.1 lakh crore, more than 13% of GDP.”

“Vaccines will be rolled out across the country. This will prevent over 50,000 child deaths annually.”

FM announced Rs 35,000 crore for Covid-19 vaccines and the total budget outlay for healthcare is 2.23 lakh crore. This is an increase of 137% from last year.