Ludhiana: Doctors criticise Budget over lack of health funding
Dr Arun Mitra, president of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), called the 0.1% increase in health allocation a cruel joke
The Union Budget for FY 2025-26, presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, has received mixed reactions from different sections of society. While some have appreciated tax reliefs and incentives for industries, others have criticised the low allocation for healthcare and the lack of concrete measures to tackle unemployment.

Dr Arun Mitra, president of Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), called the 0.1% increase in health allocation a cruel joke. “At ₹98,311 crore, health spending accounts for only 1.9% of the total budget. This translates to just ₹673 per person—far from sufficient even to keep up with inflation,” he said.
Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman, general secretary of IDPD, raised concerns about the shortage of faculty in medical colleges. “The government plans to increase medical seats, but there is no clarity on how they will tackle the lack of trained faculty. Many medical colleges are already running with ‘ghost faculty,’ compromising the quality of education,” he said.
He also criticised the government’s focus on ‘Heal in India’, arguing that it promotes medical tourism for corporate profit, rather than strengthening public healthcare.
Former Ludhiana smart city ltd director, Sanjay Goel, welcomed the government’s plan to develop 50 top tourist destinations. “I hope Ludhiana is included in this initiative, as the new international airport will boost tourist inflow. However, the city also needs a large government hospital to serve its growing population,” he said.
The business community had a more positive outlook on the budget. Mantosh Kumar & associates, chartered accountants, called the budget a “forward-looking vision” for the common man and industry. “The increase in the tax exemption limit to ₹12.75 lakh for salaried employees and ₹12 lakh for others will benefit 90% of taxpayers. Additionally, the reduction in tax rates for incomes up to ₹24 lakh is a welcome step,” they stated.
However, they also pointed out pending demands, such as reducing the tax rate for partnership firms from 30% to 20% and simplifying GST provisions.
The budget also introduced initiatives like enhanced credit support for MSMEs and startups, a new term loan scheme for women entrepreneurs, and customised credit cards for micro-enterprises.
Despite tax benefits and industrial incentives, rising unemployment remains a concern. With divided opinions, the budget has drawn praise for its tax reforms and industrial focus but has also sparked criticism for its low healthcare spending and lack of job-creation measures.
