“Pro-poor and pro-middle-class policies are the highlight”
New Delhi, February 01, 2019:
The Interim Budget 2019 has brought a wave of relief to the poorer segments and the middle class alike. It has been announced that individuals with gross income up to Rs 6.5 lakh will not need to pay any tax if they make investments in provident funds and prescribed equities. Apart from this, free health coverage is being extended to about 50 crore Indians under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
It was also mentioned that the prices of medicines have come down with control of drugs, stents and knee implant prices. The government reiterated its vision of creating a healthy India, with distress-free and comprehensive wellness system for all.
Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “The budget comes as a stress buster for a large segment of the Indian population. With measures such as tax rebate and health coverage for a majority, a great deal of mental stress will be reduced. It is a pro-poor and pro-middle-class budget. The government’s efforts towards addressing the worries of this section are commendable and will remove a lot of their physical and mental worries – thereby ensuring better health for them.”
Under the government’s India 2030 vision, the ninth and tenth dimensions focus on healthy India and a comprehensive wellness system, respectively. It remains to be seen how this vision will translate into better productivity and national good in the longer run.