Unveiling an annual budget on Monday aimed at reviving an economy that plunged into deepest recorded slump amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed doubling healthcare spending to 2.2 trillion Indian rupees ($30.20 billion).
The government will launch a new federal health scheme with an outlay of around 641 billion Indian rupees ($8.80 billion) over the next six years, she told parliament kicking off her budget speech.
India, which has the world’s second highest coronavirus caseload after the United States, and currently spends about 1% of gross domestic product on health, among the lowest for any major economy.
Here are some reactions from Indian businesses, economists and analysts:
