Ahead of the upcoming Union Budget, stakeholders from diverse sectors including health, social welfare, child rights activists, and senior care advocates come out with a bucket list, urging the Government to allocate resources strategically for holistic national development. The new Government's full Union Budget 2024 is set to be announced on July 23,
Child rights activists, including Puja Marwaha from CRY - Child Rights and You, emphasized the critical need to prioritize children in the national development agenda. Marwaha highlighted that children constitute a significant portion of India's population and called for increased investments in health, nutrition, and education programs.
Specifically, she advocated for higher allocations towards initiatives like Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, particularly benefiting children from Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). Marwaha also stressed the importance of enhancing public expenditure on education in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
At the same time, Agewell Foundation Organisations like Agewell Foundation and HelpAge India have outlined comprehensive proposals to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting the urgent requirement for enhanced financial support, healthcare, and social security for the elderly. A significant demand is the revision of the central contribution to the old age pension under the National Social Assistance Program (NSAP).
The NGOs advocate increasing the pension amount from the current Rs 200-500 to at least Rs 1,000 per month for those aged over 60 years and Rs 1,500 per month for those aged over 80 years, it said. Underscoring the demographic shift towards an aging population in India, Rajit Mehta, representing Antara Senior Care too emphasized the urgent need for policies supporting senior care, including tax benefits, specialized health insurance, and infrastructure development incentives. Mehta highlighted the economic and social importance of addressing senior well-being as part of sustainable development efforts.
Hanish Bansal, Chairman of MASSH Super Specialty Hospital in the national capital, expressed optimism about potential investments and policies aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure nationwide. Bansal also urged for increased focus on enhancing medical services, promoting advanced medical technologies, and expanding healthcare insurance coverage.
Bansal also emphasized the role of public-private partnerships in accelerating healthcare development and ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare across the country.
Similarly, Rasmi Ranjan Ray from Suez India welcomed the Modi Government’s interim budget's commitment towards infrastructure development, particularly in sectors like housing, green energy, and urban development. He anticipated further boosts in capital expenditure in the upcoming full budget announcement and emphasised the importance of addressing India's growing urban development needs, especially in water and waste management.
