Delhi budget: ₹1.9k cr for new hospitals, revamps

To be sure, the health sector still received the second-highest budgetary allocation for 2022-23.

For the first time since coming to power, the Aam Aadmi Party government marginally reduced its health care allocation in the budget from ₹9,934 crore in 2021-22 to ₹9,769 crore in 2022-23, a cutback of 1.7%, as Delhi continued to battle the Covid-19 pandemic for the second year.

Presenting the Delhi Budget on Saturday, finance minister Manish Sisodia said over the past seven years, health and education have been the government’s priority, which is why the Capital’s health system survived the pandemic.. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image)

To be sure, the health sector still received the second-highest budgetary allocation for 2022-23.

Presenting the Delhi Budget on Saturday, finance minister Manish Sisodia said over the past seven years, health and education have been the government’s priority, which is why the Capital’s health system survived the pandemic.

“There was no shortage of doctors, nurses, support staff, new beds, ventilators, doctors and other equipment in hospitals in the first five years, before Covid-19,” said Sisodia.

As much as ₹1,900 crore will be used in 2022-23 to build four new hospitals and revamp 15 existing hospitals. This expansion will add around 16,000 beds to the city’s health infrastructure, the finance minister said.

The government allocated ₹160 crore to set up a Hospital Information Management System and a QR-code-based e-health card, which will be made available to all citizens with voter ID cards.

“This will help identify patients and get basic information about their disease. This system will also help in retrieving information of family members. This will make it easier for all citizens to receive timely treatment,” Sisodia said.

Sisodia also announced a free 24x7 health helpline.

The Delhi government also set aside ₹50 crore for the Delhi Arogya Kosh scheme, which residents can use to avail free diagnostics and procedures at private facilities in case they are not available at government centres.

The government has allotted ₹15 crore towards the Aam Aadmi Yogshala, which will provide free yoga and meditation services to people, Sisodia said.