Delhi budget promises more hospital beds and mohalla clinics, but no new schemes

The government allocated Rs 375 crores for setting up new mohalla clinics and multi-speciality polyclinics.

No new schemes were announced in the healthcare sector by the Delhi government in its budget 2019-20. In his budget speech, the deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced the main allocations in the sector for increasing the number of mohalla clinics and the bed strength in the Delhi government hospitals.

In his budget speech, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced the main allocations in the health sector for increasing the number of mohalla clinics and the bed strength in the Delhi government hospitals. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

The government allocated Rs 375 crores for setting up new mohalla clinics and multi-speciality polyclinics.

“By June, the government will set up 33 more mohalla clinics. More than 40 lakh people received free treatment, medicines and diagnostics till December 2018 in the 189 mohalla clinics that are running. The government allocates Rs 375 crores for setting up more mohalla clinics and creating more polyclinics in under utilised dispensaries,” said Sisodia.

Last year, the government had allocated Rs 403 crores for setting up 836 new mohalla clinics and 94 new polyclinics. Only 25 new mohalla clinics and one polyclinic was established in the year.

The total outlay for the healthcare sector in this budget is Rs 7,485 crores, of which Rs 3,737 crores were allocated for implementing various schemes and programmes. “This is 45.07% of the revised estimates of ₹2,576 in the health sector in 2018-19,” said Sisodia.

“The work on doubling the bed strength in Delhi government hospitals to 20,000 is on going,” said Sisodia while presenting the budget. Last year, the government had allocated Rs 450 for the same.

An outlay of Rs 300 crores was made for the annual purchase of medicines that are provided free at Delhi government hospitals and clinics. The AAP government also started a scheme to provide 13 radiodiagnosis tests at private centres. For this, the government allocated Rs 49 crores.

In last year’s budget, the government had allocated Rs 20 crores for the same.

Last year, the government had also laid out Rs 100 crores for a universal health insurance scheme for the Delhi residents. However, the scheme was left off at the planning stage. No mention of the scheme was made by the deputy chief minister during his budget speech.